UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

[X] ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008
OR

[    ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                      to                     

Commission file number 1-8323

CIGNA Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (215) 761-1000

Securities registered pursuant to section 12(g) of the Act:
None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
Yes X No ___

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.
Yes ___No X

     Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes X No ___

     Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [  ]

      Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer [X ]		Accelerated filer [   ]		Non-accelerated filer   [   ]		Smaller Reporting Company [   ]

     Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ___No X

     The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2008 was approximately
$13.2 billion.

     As of January 30, 2009, 271,037,887 shares of the registrant’s Common Stock were outstanding.

     Part III of this Form 10-K incorporates by reference information from the registrant’s proxy statement to be dated on or about
March 19, 2009.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

				Page
PART I
Item 1.		Business
		A. Description of Business		1
		B. Financial Information about Business Segments		1
		C. Health Care		1
		D. Disability and Life		11
		E. International		14
		F. Run-off Reinsurance		16
		G. Other Operations		18
		H. Investments and Investment Income		21
		I. Regulation		24
		J. Ratings		28
		K. Miscellaneous		30
Item 1A.		Risk Factors		31
Item 1B.		Unresolved Staff Comments		39
Item 2.		Properties		39
Item 3.		Legal Proceedings		39
Item 4.		Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders		39
Executive Officers of the Registrant				40
PART II
Item 5.		Market for Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities		41
Item 6.		Selected Financial Data		42
Item 7.		Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations		43
Item 7A.		Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk		81
Item 8.		Financial Statements and Supplementary Data		82
Item 9.		Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure		139
Item 9A.		Controls and Procedures		139
Item 9B.		Other Information		140
PART III
Item 10.		Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant		140
		A. Directors of the Registrant		140
		B. Executive Officers of the Registrant		140
		C. Code of Ethics and Other Corporate Governance Disclosures		140
Item 11.		Executive Compensation		140
Item 12.		Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters		141
Item 13.		Certain Relationships and Related Transactions		141
Item 14.		Principal Accounting Fees and Services		141
PART IV
Item 15.		Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules		141
Signatures				143
Index to Financial Statement Schedules				FS-1
Index to Exhibits				E-1
EX-3.2
EX-10.20
EX-10.21
EX-12
EX-21
EX-23
EX-24.1(B)
EX-31.1
EX-31.2
EX-32.1
EX-32.2

PART I

that were historically sold in connection with certain experience-rated medical products. These products and services are provided and administered by subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation.

     CIGNA HealthCare is focused on helping to improve the health, well-being and security of the individuals which it serves.  CIGNA HealthCare believes the most sustainable approach to enhancing quality and managing health care costs is to fully engage customers in their own health care. Therefore, CIGNA HealthCare seeks to engage its members by providing actionable information about health and advocacy programs, including information about the cost and quality of care that members can use to make informed choices about health care for themselves and their families.  

     Underlying CIGNA HealthCare’s operations is a foundation of clinical expertise and an ability to provide quality service. CIGNA HealthCare’s strengths include: (1) its ability to integrate medical and specialty product offerings to achieve a more holistic and integrated approach to members’ health that promotes consistent case management; and (2) its ability to provide predictive modeling and other analytical tools (for example, through the Company’s exclusive access to analytical tools and algorithms developed by the University of Michigan), to assist in providing targeted outreach and health advocacy by CIGNA’s clinical professionals to CIGNA HealthCare members.

Principal Products and Services and Funding Arrangements

     With the exception of HMO and Medicare Part D products, each of CIGNA HealthCare’s products (as described below) is offered with multiple funding options (also described below). CIGNA may sell multiple products under the same funding arrangement to the same employer. Accordingly, the revenue table included in the Health Care section of the Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) beginning on page 54 reflects both the product type and funding arrangement as well as the impact from the acquisition in April of 2008 of Great-West Healthcare, the health care division of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company. CIGNA HealthCare companies offer products and services in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Medical

     CIGNA HealthCare provides a wide array of products and services to meet the needs of employers and other sponsors of health benefit plans and the employees and dependents participating in these plans, including:

•		Network and Open Access Plus Plans . CIGNA HealthCare offers a product line of indemnity managed care benefit plans. All indemnity benefit plans in the managed care product line use meaningful coinsurance differences for “in-network” versus “out-of-network” care, give members the option of selecting a primary care physician, and use a national provider network, which is somewhat smaller than the national network used with the preferred provider (“PPO”) plan product line. The Network, Network Open Access, and Open Access Plus In-Network (“OAPIN”) products cover only those services provided by CIGNA HealthCare participating (“in-network”) providers and emergency services provided by non-participating (“out-of-network”) providers. The Network POS, Network POS Open Access and Open Access Plus plans cover health care services provided by participating (“in-network”), and non-participating (“out-of-network”) health care providers.
•		Preferred Provider (“PPO”) Plans . CIGNA HealthCare also offers a PPO product line that features a broader national network with generally less favorable provider discounts than the managed care products described above, no requirement to select a primary care physician, and in-network and out-of-network coverage, but with lesser benefit incentives to encourage the use of participating providers.
•		Health Maintenance Organizations (“HMOs”) . HMOs are required by law to provide coverage for all basic health services. They use various tools to facilitate the appropriate use of health care services through employed and/or contracted health care providers. HMOs control unit costs by negotiating rates of reimbursement with providers and by requiring that certain treatments be authorized for coverage in advance. CIGNA HealthCare offers HMO plans that require members to obtain all non-emergency services from participating providers as well as point of service (“POS”) HMO plans that also provide a lesser level of insurance coverage for out-of-network care from non-participating providers.
•		Voluntary Plans . CIGNA HealthCare’s voluntary medical products are offered to employers with 51 or more eligible employees and are designed to meet the needs of the working uninsured (such as hourly or part-time employees) by offering more limited and more affordable coverage than traditional major medical plans.

•		CIGNA Choice Fund ® , Health Reimbursement Arrangements (“HRAs”), Health Savings Accounts (“HSAs”) and Flexible Spending Accounts (“FSAs”) . In connection with many of the products described above, CIGNA HealthCare offers the CIGNA Choice Fund suite of consumer-directed products, including HRA, HSA and FSA options. An HRA allows employers to choose from a variety of benefit plan designs and for employees to fund un-reimbursed health care expenses with reimbursement account funds that can be rolled over from year to year. HSA plans allow employers to choose from a variety of benefit plan designs and funding options and combine a high deductible payment feature for a health plan with a tax-preferred savings account offering mutual fund investment options. Funds in an HSA can be used to pay the deductible and for other eligible tax-deductible medical expenses. In connection with its consumer-directed products, CIGNA HealthCare offers Custom Benefit Builder SM , a tool that allows members to customize plan options including co-payments and deductible levels, to create a personalized benefit design that meets their individual needs. In 2007, CIGNA HealthCare expanded the availability of its HRA plans to smaller businesses with 51-200 employees and also began offering an integrated HSA product to this segment. The HRA and HSA products for employers with 51-200 employees are now available in 49 states.
•		Stop-Loss Coverage . CIGNA HealthCare offers stop-loss insurance coverage to both experience-rated and self-insured plans. This stop-loss coverage reimburses the plan for claims in excess of some predetermined amount, either for individuals (“specific”) or the entire group (“aggregate”), or both.
•		Shared Administration Services . CIGNA HealthCare makes shared administration products available to self-insured Taft-Hartley trusts and other groups. CIGNA HealthCare provides these self-insured plans access to its national provider network and provides claim re-pricing and other services (e.g. utilization management).

Specialty

      Health Advocacy and CareAllies ^® . Through its CareAllies brand, CIGNA HealthCare offers medical management, disease management, and health advocacy services to employers and other plan sponsors. CareAllies services are not only offered to members covered under CIGNA HealthCare administered plans but also to those employees who have elected coverage under a plan offered through their employer by competing insurers/third party administrators. CareAllies offers a consistent set of services to address the clinical and administrative inconsistencies that are inherent in the multi-vendor approach. Through its health advocacy programs, CIGNA HealthCare works to: 

•		help healthy people stay healthy;
•		help people change behaviors that are putting their health at risk;
•		help people with existing health care issues access quality care and practice healthy self-care; and
•		help people with a disabling illness or injury return to productive work quickly and safely.

       In addition, CIGNA HealthCare offers a wide array of programs and services to help individuals improve the health of the mind and body, including:

•		early intervention by CIGNA’s network of approximately 2,400 clinical professionals;
•		CIGNA’s online health assessment, powered by analytics from the University of Michigan Health Management Research Center, which helps members identify potential health risks and learn what they can do to live a healthier life;
•		the CIGNA Well Aware for Better Health ® program, which helps patients with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, depression and weight complications better manage their conditions;
•		CIGNA Health Advisor ® , one of our fastest-growing offerings, which provides members with access to a personal health coach to help them reach their health and wellness goals;
•		CIGNA’s Well Informed program (first available in January 2008), which uses clinical rules-based software to identify potential gaps and omissions in members’ health care through analysis of the Company’s integrated medical, behavioral, pharmacy and lab data allowing CIGNA HealthCare to communicate the gaps to the member and the member’s doctor; and

•

CIGNA’s online coaching capabilities.

•

Specialty Pharmacy Solutions . As an integrated payor, CIGNA HealthCare is uniquely positioned to manage holistic care for individuals with chronic conditions.  This approach allows individuals to access medication in the most appropriate setting based on their unique circumstances.  This results in less confusion and disruption in care, which in turn promotes medication adherence and healthier outcomes.

•		CIGNA Tel-Drug® Home Delivery Pharmacy .  CIGNA HealthCare also offers cost-effective mail order, telephone and on-line pharmaceutical fulfillment services through its home delivery operation.  CIGNA Tel-Drug Home Delivery Pharmacy provides an individual-focused, efficient home delivery pharmacy with high standards of quality, accuracy and individual care relating to maintenance and specialty medications.  Orders may be submitted through the mail, via phone or through the internet at myCIGNA.com.
•		CIGNA HealthCare also offers a suite of online tools to individuals, including our award-winning Prescription Drug Price Quote Tool , which empowers individuals with actionable information that helps them maximize their benefits and lower their out-of-pocket costs.

      Medicare Part D . CIGNA’s Medicare Part D prescription drug program, CIGNA Medicare Rx ^® , provides a number of plan options as well as service and information support to Medicare-eligible members aged 65 and over. CIGNA Medicare Rx is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

      Retail Pharmacies . CIGNA HealthCare operates 19 retail pharmacies, including on-site retail pharmacies for members to serve the needs of CIGNA HealthCare members.

Funding Arrangements

     The segment’s health care products and services are offered through the following funding arrangements:

•		guaranteed cost;
•		retrospectively experience-rated (including minimum premium funding arrangements); and
•		administrative service.

      Guaranteed Cost . Under guaranteed cost funding arrangements, group policyholders pay a fixed premium and CIGNA HealthCare bears the risk for claims and costs that exceed the premium. Some insurance policies are offered on a guaranteed cost basis. The HMO product is offered only on a guaranteed cost basis.

      Retrospectively Experience-rated (including Minimum Premium) . Under insurance policies using a retrospectively experience-rated funding arrangement, a premium that typically includes a margin to partially protect against adverse claim fluctuations is determined at the beginning of the policy period. CIGNA HealthCare generally bears the risk if claims and expenses exceed this premium, but has the potential to recover any deficit from margins in future years if the policy is renewed. For additional discussion, see “Pricing, Reserves and Reinsurance” later in this section of the 10-K.

     Under insurance policies using a minimum premium funding arrangement, instead of paying a fixed monthly premium, the group policyholder establishes and funds a bank account and authorizes the insurer to draw upon funds in the account to pay claims and other authorized expenses. The policyholder pays a significantly reduced monthly “residual” premium while the policy is in effect and a supplemental premium (to cover reserves for run-out claims and administrative expenses) upon termination. Minimum premium funding arrangements combine insurance protection with an element of self-funding. The policyholder is responsible for funding all claims up to a predetermined aggregate, maximum amount, and CIGNA HealthCare bears the risk for claim costs incurred in excess of that amount. CIGNA HealthCare has the potential to recover this deficit from margins in future years if the policy is renewed. Accordingly, minimum premium funding arrangements have a risk profile similar to retrospectively experience-rated insurance arrangements.

      Administrative Service . Under the administrative service funding arrangement, CIGNA HealthCare contracts with employers on an administrative services only (“ASO”) basis to administer claims and perform other plan related services. CIGNA HealthCare collects administrative service fees in exchange for providing ASO plans with access to CIGNA HealthCare’s applicable participating provider network and for providing other services and programs including: quality management; utilization management; cost

containment; health advocacy; 24-hour help line; case management; disease management; pharmacy benefit management; behavioral health care management services (through its provider networks); or any combination of the services. The employer/plan sponsor is responsible for self-funding all claims, but may purchase stop-loss insurance from CIGNA HealthCare or other insurers for claims in excess of a predetermined amount, for either individuals (“specific”), the entire group (“aggregate”), or both.

     In 2008, CIGNA purchased Great-West Healthcare, the healthcare division of Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company (“Great-West”). Great-West Healthcare has historically offered similar products and services through similar funding arrangements, although Great-West Healthcare focused on smaller customers, and as a result, a substantially higher portion of the claims in their book of business are covered by some type of stop-loss arrangement.

     Financial information, including premiums and fees is presented in the Health Care section of the MD&A beginning on page 54 and Note 21 to CIGNA’s Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on page 130.

Service and Quality

     CIGNA HealthCare operates eleven service centers that together processed approximately 122 million medical claims in 2008. Satisfying customers and members is a primary business objective and critical to the Company’s success. To address a variety of member issues, CIGNA HealthCare offers members access to its grievance and appeals processes. CIGNA operates six member service centers that members can call toll-free to address requests for information and complaints and grievances. CIGNA HealthCare customer service representatives are empowered to immediately resolve a wide range of issues to help members obtain the most from their benefit plan. In many cases, a customer service representative can resolve the member’s issue. If an issue cannot be resolved informally, CIGNA HealthCare has a formal appeals process that can be initiated by telephone or in writing and involves two levels of internal review. For those matters not resolved by internal reviews, CIGNA HealthCare members are offered the option of a voluntary external review of claims. The CIGNA HealthCare formal appeals process addresses member inquiries and appeals concerning initial coverage determinations based on medical necessity and other benefits/coverage determinations. CIGNA HealthCare’s formal appeals process meets National Committee for Quality Assurance (“NCQA”), Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”), Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (“URAC”) and/or applicable state regulatory requirements.

     CIGNA HealthCare’s commitment to promoting quality care and service to its members is reflected in a variety of activities including: the credentialing of medical providers and facilities that participate in CIGNA HealthCare’s Managed Care and PPO networks; the development of the CIGNA Care ^® specialist physician designation described below, and participation in initiatives that provide information to members to enable educated health care decision-making.

      Participating Provider Network . CIGNA HealthCare has an extensive national network of participating health care providers, which as of December 31, 2008 consisted of approximately 5,200 hospitals and approximately 573,000 providers as well as other facilities, pharmacies and vendors of health care services and supplies (these hospital and provider counts exclude the impact of the Great-West Healthcare acquisition). As part of the purchase of Great-West Healthcare, CIGNA acquired the participating provider network of Great-West Healthcare. In many cases, the providers in the Great-West Healthcare network were already in the CIGNA HealthCare participating provider network, however, the acquisition has expanded and strengthened CIGNA HealthCare’s network in some regions of the country. CIGNA HealthCare is in the process of consolidating the network it acquired from Great-West with its existing participating provider network. As of December 31, 2007, CIGNA HealthCare’s national network of participating health care providers consisted of approximately 5,100 hospitals and approximately 542,000 providers.

     In most instances, CIGNA HealthCare contracts directly with the participating provider to provide covered services to members at agreed-upon rates of reimbursement. In some instances, however, CIGNA HealthCare companies contract with third parties for access to their provider networks. In addition, CIGNA HealthCare has entered into strategic alliances with several regional managed care organizations (Tufts Health Plan, HealthPartners, Inc., Health Alliance Plan, and MVP Health Plan) to gain access to their provider networks and discounts.

      CIGNA Care ^® . CIGNA Care is a benefit design option available for CIGNA HealthCare administered plans in 57 service areas across the country. CIGNA Care is a subset of participating physicians in certain specialties who are designated as CIGNA Care physicians based on specific clinical quality and cost-efficiency selection criteria. Members pay reduced co-payments or co-insurance when they receive care from a specialist designated as a CIGNA Care provider. CIGNA participating specialists are evaluated annually for the CIGNA Care designation.

      Provider Credentialing . CIGNA HealthCare credentials physicians, hospitals and other health care providers in its participating provider networks using quality criteria which meet or exceed the standards of external accreditation or state regulatory agencies, or both. Typically, most providers are re-credentialed every three years.

      Health Plan Credentialing . Each of CIGNA HealthCare’s 23 HMO and POS plans that have undergone an accreditation review have earned the highest rating possible – Excellent – from the NCQA and have earned Distinction for NCQA’s Quality Plus Member Connections and Physician and Hospital Quality standards. The Member Connections standards assess a plan’s web-based and telephonic consumer decision support tools. The Physician and Hospital Quality standards assess how well a plan provides members with information about physicians and hospitals in its network to help consumers make informed health care decisions. In early 2008, CIGNA HealthCare received “Full” accreditation (the highest rating possible) from NCQA for its PPO plans and for CIGNA’s Open Access Plus plans nationwide. The case management and utilization management programs provided to CIGNA HealthCare members have been awarded full accreditation by URAC.

      HEDIS ^® Measures . In addition, CIGNA HealthCare participates in NCQA’s Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (“HEDIS ^® ”) Quality Compass Report. HEDIS ^® Effectiveness of Care measures are a standard set of metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of managed care clinical programs. CIGNA HealthCare’s national results compare favorably to industry averages.

      Technology. CIGNA HealthCare understands the critical importance of information technology to the level of service the Company is able to provide to its members and to the continued growth of the health care business. The health care marketplace is evolving and the level of service that is acceptable to consumers today may not be acceptable tomorrow. Therefore, CIGNA HealthCare continues to invest in its information technology infrastructure and capabilities including technology essential to fundamental claim administration and customer service, as well as tools and Internet-enabled technology that support CIGNA HealthCare’s focus on engaging members in health care decisions.

     For example, CIGNA HealthCare has developed a range of member decision support tools including:

•		myCIGNA.com, CIGNA’s consumer Internet portal. The portal is personalized with each member’s CIGNA medical, dental and pharmacy plan information;
•		myCignaPlans.com, a website which allows prospective members to compare plan coverage and pricing options, before enrolling, based on a variety of factors. The application gives members information on the total health care cost to them and their employer;
•		a number of interactive online cost and quality information tools that compare hospital quality and efficiency information, prescription drug choices and average price estimates and member-specific average out-of-pocket cost estimates for certain medical procedures; and
•		Health Risk Assessment, an online interactive tool through which members can identify potential health risks and monitor their health status.

     In addition, a special website designed for seniors was launched in 2007 to offer customized features as well as access to both the myCIGNA.com and cigna.com websites.

Pricing, Reserves and Reinsurance

     Premiums and fees charged for HMO and most health insurance products and life insurance products are generally set in advance of the policy period and are guaranteed for one year. Premium rates for fully insured products are established either on a guaranteed cost basis or on a retrospectively experience-rated basis.

     Charges to customers established on a guaranteed cost basis at the beginning of the policy period cannot be adjusted to reflect actual claim experience during the policy period. A guaranteed cost pricing methodology reflects assumptions about future claims, health care inflation (unit cost, location of delivery of care and utilization), effective medical cost management, expenses, credit risk, enrollment mix, investment returns, and profit margins. Claim and expense assumptions may be based in whole or in part on prior experience of the account or on a pool of accounts, depending on the group size and the statistical credibility of the experience. Generally, guaranteed cost groups are smaller and less statistically credible than retrospectively experience-rated groups. In addition, pricing for health care products that use networks of contracted providers reflects assumptions about the impact of the reimbursement rates in the provider contracts on future claims. Premium rates may vary among accounts to reflect the anticipated contract mix,

family size, industry, renewal date, and other cost-predictive factors. In some states, premium rates must be approved by the state insurance departments, and state laws may restrict or limit the use of rating methods.

     Premiums established for retrospectively experience-rated business may be adjusted for the actual claim and, in some cases, administrative cost experience of the account through an experience settlement process subsequent to the policy period. To the extent that the cost experience is favorable in relation to the prospectively determined premium rates, a portion of the initial premiums may be credited to the policyholder as an experience refund. If claim experience is adverse in relation to the initial premiums, CIGNA HealthCare may recover the resulting experience deficit, according to contractual provisions, through future premiums and experience settlements, provided the policy remains in force.

     CIGNA HealthCare contracts on an ASO basis with customers who fund their own claims. CIGNA HealthCare charges these customers administrative fees based on the expected cost of administering their self-funded programs. In some cases, CIGNA HealthCare provides performance guarantees associated with meeting certain service related and other performance standards. If these standards are not met, CIGNA HealthCare may be financially at risk up to a stated percentage of the contracted fee or a stated dollar amount. CIGNA HealthCare establishes liabilities for estimated payouts associated with these guarantees.

     In addition to paying current benefits and expenses under HMO and health insurance policies, CIGNA HealthCare establishes reserves for amounts estimated to settle reported claims not yet paid, as well as claims incurred, but not yet reported. Also, liabilities are established for estimated experience refunds based on the results of retrospectively experience-rated policies and applicable contract terms.

     As of December 31, 2008, approximately $1.0 billion, or 65% of the reserves of CIGNA HealthCare’s operations comprise liabilities that are likely to be paid within one year, primarily for medical and dental claims, as well as certain group disability and life insurance claims. Of the reserve amount expected to be paid within one year, $202 million relates to amounts recoverable from certain ASO customers and from minimum premium policyholders, and is offset by a receivable. The remaining reserves related primarily to contracts that are short term in nature, but have long term payouts and include liabilities for group long-term disability insurance benefits and group life insurance benefits for disabled and retired individuals, benefits paid in the form of both life and non-life contingent annuities to survivors and contractholder deposit funds.

     CIGNA HealthCare credits interest on experience refund balances to retrospectively experience-rated policyholders through rates that are set by CIGNA HealthCare taking investment performance and market rates into consideration. Generally, for interest-crediting rates set at CIGNA HealthCare’s discretion, higher rates are credited to funds with longer terms reflecting the fact that higher yields are generally available on investments with longer maturities. For 2008, the rates of interest credited ranged from 2.75% to 4.00%, with a weighted average rate of 3.15%.

     The profitability of CIGNA HealthCare’s fully insured health care products depends on the adequacy of premiums charged relative to claims and expenses. For medical and dental products, profitability reflects the accuracy of cost projections for health care (unit costs and utilization), the adequacy of fees charged for administration and risk assumption and effective medical cost and utilization management.

     CIGNA HealthCare reduces its exposure to large catastrophic losses under group life, disability and accidental death contracts by purchasing reinsurance from unaffiliated reinsurers.

Markets and Distribution

     CIGNA HealthCare targets the following markets for its products:

•		national accounts, which are multi-site employers generally with more than 5,000 employees;
•		regional accounts, which are generally defined as multi-site employers with more than 250 but fewer than 5,000 employees, and single-site employers with more than 250 employees;
•		“Select,” which generally includes employers with 51- 250 employees;
•		small business, which generally includes employers with 2-50 employees;

•		individuals;
•		government, which includes employees in federal, state and local governments, primary and secondary schools, and colleges and universities;
•		Taft-Hartley plans, which includes members covered by union trust funds;
•		seniors, which focuses on the health care needs of individuals 50 years and older;
•		voluntary, which focuses on employers with working uninsured employees; and
•		emerging markets, which includes non-CIGNA HealthCare payors to which leased network and other services are offered.

     To date, the national and regional account markets have comprised a significant amount of CIGNA HealthCare’s business. With the acquisition of Great-West Healthcare, the healthcare division of Great-West, the “Select,” small business, and emerging markets now constitute a larger share of CIGNA HealthCare’s business.

     CIGNA HealthCare employs group sales representatives to distribute its products and services through insurance brokers and insurance consultants or directly to employers. CIGNA HealthCare also employs representatives to sell utilization review services, managed behavioral health care and employee assistance services directly to insurance companies, HMOs, third party administrators and employer groups. As of December 31, 2008, the field sales force for the products and services of this segment consisted of approximately 970 sales representatives in approximately 120 field locations.

Competition

     CIGNA HealthCare’s business is subject to intense competition, and industry consolidation has created an even more competitive business environment. While no one competitor dominates the health care market, CIGNA HealthCare expects a continuing trend of consolidation in the industry given the current economic environment.

     In certain geographic locations, some health care companies may have significant market share positions. A large number of health care companies and other entities compete in offering similar products. Competition in the health care market exists both for employers and other groups sponsoring plans and for the employees in those instances where the employer offers its employees the choice of products of more than one health care company. Most group policies are subject to annual review by the policyholder, who may seek competitive quotations prior to renewal.

     The principal competitive factors are: quality and cost-effectiveness of service and provider networks; effectiveness of medical care management; product responsiveness to the needs of customers and their employees; cost-containment services; technology; price; and effectiveness of marketing and sales. Financial strength of the insurer, as indicated by ratings issued by nationally recognized rating agencies, is also a competitive factor. For more information concerning insurance ratings, see “Ratings” in Section J beginning on page 28. CIGNA HealthCare believes that its national scope, integrated approach to consumer engagement, breadth of product and funding offerings, clinical care and medical management capabilities and funding options are strategic competitive advantages. These advantages allow CIGNA HealthCare to respond to the diverse needs of its customer base in each market in which it operates. CIGNA HealthCare also believes that its focus on helping to improve the health, well-being and security of its members will allow it to distinguish itself from its competitors.

     The principal competitors are:

•		other large insurance companies that provide group health and life insurance products;
•		Blue Cross and Blue Shield organizations;
•		stand-alone HMOs and PPOs;
•		third party administrators;
•		HMOs affiliated with major insurance companies and hospitals; and

•

national managed pharmacy, behavioral health and utilization review services companies.

     Competition also arises from smaller regional or specialty companies with strength in a particular geographic area or product line, administrative service firms and, indirectly, self-insurers. In addition to these traditional competitors, a new group of competitors is emerging. These new competitors are focused on delivering employee benefits and services through Internet-enabled technology that allows consumers to take a more active role in the management of their health. This is accomplished primarily through financial incentives, access to enhanced medical quality data and other information sharing. The effective use of the Company’s health advocacy capabilities, decision support tools (some of which are web-based) and enabling technology are critical to success in the health care industry, and CIGNA HealthCare believes they will be competitive differentiators.

Industry Developments and Strategic Overview

     Both state and federal lawmakers have supported a broad range of health care reform efforts due to the recent demand for changes to the health care industry. The Company expects that these efforts will intensify in 2009. The proposal and/or passing of any reform initiatives would affect the health care industry in general and CIGNA, specifically. CIGNA advocates creating a value-based healthcare system that provides access to care for the uninsured, fosters and rewards quality, and makes care more affordable by educating consumers to the true costs and quality of care and supporting better decision making.  CIGNA envisions such a system as a partnership between private and public sectors, taking the best of what the private and public sector programs offer and creating a system that addresses the needs of all.  CIGNA is intensely involved in developing workable solutions for reforming America’s healthcare system.

     As part of its business strategy, CIGNA continually evaluates potential acquisitions and other transactions that could enhance the Company’s competitive capabilities and provide a basis for membership growth and/or improved medical costs. In 2008, CIGNA acquired the assets of Great-West Healthcare, the healthcare division of Great-West.

     Also, in connection with CIGNA’s long-term business strategy, the Company intends to continue to focus on the fundamentals of its health care business in order to provide consistent, reliable service to customers at a competitive cost; differentiating the health care business from its competitors by facilitating consumer engagement to realize improvement in the individual’s health and well-being; and segment expansion, particularly in the voluntary, individual, small business and “Select” markets.

D. Disability and Life

Principal Products and Services

     CIGNA’s Disability and Life segment (“CIGNA Disability and Life”) provides the following insurance products and their related services: group life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, workers’ compensation and disability case management, and accident and specialty insurance. These products and services are provided by subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation.

Disability Insurance

     CIGNA Disability and Life markets group long-term and short-term disability insurance products and services in all 50 states and statutorily required disability insurance plans in certain states. These products and services generally provide a fixed level of income to replace a portion of wages lost because of disability. They also provide assistance to the employee in returning to work and assistance to the employer in managing the cost of employee disability. Group disability coverage is typically employer-paid or a combination of employer and employee-paid.

     CIGNA Disability and Life also provides case management and related services to workers’ compensation insurers and employers who self-fund workers’ compensation and disability benefits.

     CIGNA Disability and Life’s disability insurance products may be integrated with other disability benefit programs, behavioral programs, workers’ compensation, medical programs, social security advocacy, and the Family and Medical Leave Act and leave of absence administration. CIGNA Disability and Life believes this integration provides customers with increased efficiency and effectiveness in disability claims management, enhances productivity and reduces overall costs to employers. Combining CIGNA Disability and Life disability and CIGNA HealthCare’s medical programs may provide enhanced opportunities to influence outcomes, reduce the cost of both medical and disability events and improve the return to work rate. CIGNA Disability and Life has formalized an integrated approach to health and wellness through the Disability and Healthcare Connect Program. This program uses information from the CIGNA HealthCare and CIGNA Disability and Life databases to help identify, treat and manage disabilities before they become chronic, longer in duration and more costly. Proactive outreach from CIGNA Behavioral Health assists employees suffering from a mental health condition, either as a primary condition or as a result of another condition. CIGNA may receive fees for providing these integrated services to customers.

     CIGNA Disability and Life is an industry leader in returning employees to work quickly. Shorter disability claim durations mean higher productivity and lower cost for employers and a better quality of life for their employees. Data from a recent industry customer satisfaction survey showed that CIGNA Disability and Life’s short-term and long-term disability claimant satisfaction levels meet and in certain metrics exceed those of our competitors.

     Approximately 7,100 insured disability policies covering approximately 4.9 million lives were outstanding as of December 31, 2008.

Life Insurance

     Group life insurance products include group term life and group universal life. Group term life insurance may be employer-paid basic life insurance, employee-paid supplemental life insurance or a combination thereof.

     CIGNA no longer actively markets group universal life insurance to new employers, but continues to administer the product for and markets to existing policyholders. Group universal life insurance is a voluntary life insurance product in which the owner may accumulate cash value. The cash value earns interest at rates declared from time to time, subject to a minimum guaranteed contracted rate, and may be borrowed, withdrawn, or, within certain limits, used to fund future life insurance coverage. With group variable universal life insurance, the cash value varies directly with the performance of the underlying investments and neither the return nor the principal is guaranteed.

     Approximately 6,500 group life insurance policies covering approximately 6.2 million lives were outstanding as of December 31, 2008.

Other Products and Services

     CIGNA Disability and Life offers personal accident insurance coverage, which consists primarily of accidental death and dismemberment and travel accident insurance to employers. Group accident insurance may be employer-paid or employee-paid.

     CIGNA Disability and Life also offers specialty insurance services that consist primarily of life, accident, student accident medical and disability insurance to professional associations, financial institutions, schools and participant organizations.

     Voluntary benefits are those paid by the employee and are offered at the employer’s worksite. CIGNA Disability and Life plans provide, among other services, flexible enrollment options, list billing, medical underwriting, and individual record keeping. CIGNA Disability and Life designed its voluntary offerings to offer employers a complete and simple way to manage their benefits, including personalized enrollment communication and administration of the benefits program.

Pricing, Reserves and Reinsurance

     Premiums and fees charged for disability and life insurance products are generally established in advance of the policy period and are generally guaranteed for one to three years, but policies may be subject to early termination.

     Premium rates reflect assumptions about future claims, expenses, credit risk, investment returns and profit margins. Assumptions may be based in whole or in part on prior experience of the account or on a pool of accounts, depending on the group size and the statistical credibility of the experience, which varies by product.

     Fees for universal life insurance products consist of mortality, administrative and surrender charges assessed against the policyholder’s fund balance. Interest credited and mortality charges for universal life, and mortality charges on variable universal life, may be adjusted prospectively to reflect expected interest and mortality experience.

     In addition to paying current benefits and expenses, CIGNA Disability and Life establishes reserves in amounts estimated to be sufficient to pay reported claims not yet paid, as well as claims incurred but not yet reported. For liabilities with longer-term pay-out periods such as long-term disability, reserves represent the present value of future expected payments. CIGNA Disability and Life discounts these expected payments using assumptions for interest rates and the length of time over which claims are expected to be paid. The annual effective interest rate assumptions used in determining reserves for most of the long-term disability insurance business is 4.75% for claims that were incurred in 2008 and 2007. For universal life insurance, CIGNA Disability and Life establishes reserves for deposits received and interest credited to the policyholder, less mortality and administrative charges assessed against the policyholder’s fund balance.

     The profitability of this segment’s products depends on the adequacy of premiums charged relative to claims, including the degree to which future experience deviates from mortality and morbidity assumptions, expenses and investment returns. CIGNA Disability and Life’s previous claim experience and industry data indicate a correlation between disability claim incidence levels and economic conditions, with submitted claims rising under adverse economic conditions. The effectiveness of return to work programs and mortality levels also impact the profitability of disability insurance products.

     In order to reduce its exposure to large individual and catastrophic losses under group life, disability and accidental death policies, CIGNA Disability and Life purchases reinsurance from unaffiliated reinsurers.

Markets and Distribution

     CIGNA Disability and Life markets the group insurance products and services described above to employers, employees, professional and other associations and groups. In marketing these products, CIGNA Disability and Life employs a captive sales force to target customers with 50 or more employees and the products and services of this segment are primarily distributed through insurance brokers and consultants, along with some direct sales. As of December 31, 2008, the field sales force for the products and services of this segment consisted of approximately 200 sales professionals in 27 field locations.

Competition

     The principal competitive factors that affect the CIGNA Disability and Life segment are underwriting and pricing, the quality and effectiveness of claims management, relative operating efficiency, investment and risk management, distribution methodologies and producer relations, the breadth and variety of products and services offered, and the quality of customer service. The Company believes that CIGNA Disability and Life’s claims management capabilities and integration with CIGNA HealthCare’s benefits provide a competitive advantage in this marketplace.

     For certain products with longer-term liabilities, such as group long-term disability insurance, the financial strength of the insurer, as indicated by ratings issued by nationally recognized rating agencies, is also a competitive factor. For more information concerning insurance ratings, see “Ratings” in Section J beginning on page 28.

     The principal competitors of CIGNA’s group disability, life and accident businesses are other large and regional insurance companies that market and distribute these or similar types of products.

     As of December 31, 2008, CIGNA is one of the top providers of group disability, life and accident insurance, based on premiums.

Industry Developments and Strategic Initiatives

     The group insurance market remains highly competitive as the rising cost of providing medical coverage to employees has forced companies to reevaluate their overall employee benefit spending. Demographic shifts have further driven demand for products and services that are sufficiently flexible to meet the evolving needs of employers and employees who want innovative, cost-effective solutions to their insurance needs. A shift to greater employee participatory coverage and voluntary purchases is also an emerging trend.

     Employers are also expressing a growing interest in employee wellness, absence management and productivity and recognizing a strong link between health, productivity and their profitability. As a result, employers are looking to offer programs that promote a healthy lifestyle, offer assistance in returning to work and integrate health care and disability programs. CIGNA believes it is well positioned to deliver integrated solutions that address these broad employer and employee needs. CIGNA also believes that its strong disability management portfolio and fully integrated programs provide employers and employees tools to improve health status. This focus on managing the employee’s total absence enables CIGNA to increase the number and likelihood of interventions and minimize disabling events.

     The disability industry is under continuing review by regulators and legislators with respect to its offset practices regarding Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”). There has been specific inquiry as to the industry’s role in assisting individuals with their applications for SSDI. The Company has received one Congressional inquiry and has responded to the information request. Also legislation prohibiting the offset of SSDI payments against private disability insurance payments for prospectively issued policies has been introduced in the Connecticut state legislature. The Company is also involved in related pending litigation. If the industry is forced to change its offset SSDI procedures, the practices and products for this segment could be significantly impacted.

Other Risks

     For more information on “Disability and Life,” see the “Industry Developments and Other Matters” section beginning on page 67 of this Form 10-K and Note 21 to the Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on page 130.

E. International

     CIGNA’s International segment (“CIGNA International”) offers life, accident and supplemental health insurance products as well as international health care products and services. These products and services are provided by subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation, including foreign operating entities.

Principal Products and Services

Life, Accident and Supplemental Health Insurance

     CIGNA International’s life, accident and supplemental health insurance products generally provide simple, affordable coverage of risks for the health and financial security of individuals. Supplemental health products provide a specified payment for a variety of health risks and include personal accident, accidental death, critical illness, hospitalization, dental, cancer and other dread disease coverages. Variable universal life insurance products are also included in the product portfolio.

International Health Care

     CIGNA International’s health care operations primarily consist of products and services to meet the needs of multinational companies and their expatriate employees and dependents. These benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment and disability products. The expatriate benefits products and services are offered through guaranteed cost, experience-rated, administrative services only, and minimum premium funding arrangements. For definitions of funding arrangements, see “Funding Arrangements” in Section C beginning on page 1.

     In addition, CIGNA International’s health care operations include medical products, which are provided through group benefits programs. These products are primarily medical indemnity insurance coverage, with some offerings having managed care or administrative service aspects. These products generally provide an alternative or supplement to government programs.

Pricing, Reserves and Reinsurance

     Premiums for CIGNA International’s life, accident and supplemental health insurance products are based on assumptions about mortality, morbidity, customer retention, expenses and target profit margins, as well as interest rates. The profitability of these products is primarily driven by mortality, morbidity, and customer retention.

     Fees for variable universal life insurance products consist of mortality, administrative, asset management and surrender charges assessed against the contractholder’s fund balance. Mortality charges on variable universal life may be adjusted prospectively to reflect expected mortality experience.

     Premiums and fees for CIGNA International’s health care products reflect assumptions about future claims, expenses, investment returns, and profit margins. For products using networks of contracted providers, premiums reflect assumptions about the impact of provider contracts and utilization management on future claims. Most of the premium volume for the medical indemnity business is on a guaranteed cost basis. Other premiums are established on an experience-rated basis. Most contracts permit rate changes at least annually.

     The profitability of health care products is dependent upon the accuracy of projections for health care inflation (unit cost, location of delivery of care, including currency of incurral and utilization), the adequacy of fees charged for administration and risk assumptions and effective medical cost management.

     In addition to paying current benefits and expenses, CIGNA International establishes reserves in amounts estimated to be sufficient to settle reported claims not yet paid, claims incurred but not yet reported as well as future amounts payable on experience rated arrangements. Additionally, for some individual life insurance and supplemental health insurance products, CIGNA International establishes policy reserves which reflect the present value of expected future obligations less the present value of expected future premiums attributable to policyholder obligations. CIGNA International defers acquisition costs, such as commissions, solicitation and policy fulfillment costs, incurred in the sales of long-duration life, accident and supplemental health products. For most products, these costs are amortized in proportion to premium revenue recognized, which is impacted by customer retention. For variable universal life products, acquisition costs are amortized in proportion to expected gross profits.

     CIGNA International reduces its exposure to large and/or multiple losses arising out of a single occurrence by purchasing reinsurance from unaffiliated reinsurers.

Markets and Distribution

     CIGNA International’s life, accident and supplemental health insurance products are generally marketed through distribution partners with whom the individual insured has an affinity relationship. These products are sold primarily through direct marketing channels, such as outbound telemarketing, in-branch bancassurance and direct response television. Marketing campaigns are conducted through these channels under a variety of arrangements with affinity partners. These affinity partners primarily include banks, credit card companies, other financial institutions, and other businesses. CIGNA International’s life, accident and supplemental health insurance operations are located in South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, New Zealand, China, Thailand, and the European Union. In the second quarter of 2008, CIGNA sold its run-off Brazilian life insurance business.

     CIGNA International’s health care products are distributed through independent brokers and consultants, select partners as well as CIGNA International’s own sales personnel. The customers of CIGNA International’s expatriate benefits business are multinational companies and international organizations headquartered in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Hong Kong and other international locations. In addition, CIGNA International’s health care operations include medical products, which are provided through group benefits programs in the United Kingdom and Spain.

     For CIGNA International’s life, accident and supplemental health insurance products a significant portion of the premiums are billed and collected through credit cards. A substantial contraction in consumer credit could impact CIGNA International’s ability to retain existing policies and sell new policies. A decline in customer retention can result in both a reduction of revenue and an acceleration of the amortization of acquisition related costs.

Competition

     Competitive factors in CIGNA International’s life, accident and supplemental health operations and expatriate benefits business include product and distribution innovation and differentiation, efficient management of direct marketing processes, commission levels paid to distribution partners, and quality of claims and customer services.

     The principal competitive factors that affect CIGNA International’s health care operations are underwriting and pricing, relative operating efficiency, relative effectiveness in medical cost management, product innovation and differentiation, producer relations, and the quality of claims and customer service. In most overseas markets, perception of financial strength is also an important competitive factor.

     For the life, accident and supplemental health insurance line of business, competitors are primarily locally based insurance companies, including insurance subsidiaries of banks. However, insurance company competitors in this segment primarily focus on traditional product distribution through captive agents, with direct marketing being a secondary objective. CIGNA International estimates that it has less than 2% market share of the total life insurance premiums in any given market in which it operates.

     For the expatriate benefits business, CIGNA International is the market leader in the U.S., whose primary competitors include U.S.-based and European health insurance companies with global expatriate benefits operations. For the health care operations in the UK and Spain, the primary competitors are regional and local insurers, with CIGNA’s market share at less than 5% of the premiums of the total local health care market.

     CIGNA International expects that the competitive environment will intensify as U.S. and Europe-based insurance and financial services providers pursue global expansion opportunities.

Industry Developments

     Pressure on social health care systems and increased wealth and education in emerging markets is leading to higher demand for products providing health insurance and financial security. In the life, accident and supplemental health business, direct marketing is growing and attracting new competitors while industry consolidation among financial institutions and other affinity partners continues. For the international health care benefits business, trade liberalization and rapid economic growth in emerging markets is leading to multi-national companies expanding foreign operations.

F. Run-off Reinsurance

Principal Products and Services

     Until 2000, CIGNA offered reinsurance coverage for part or all of the risks written by other insurance companies (or “ceding companies”) under life and annuity policies (both group and individual); accident policies (workers’ compensation, personal accident, and catastrophe coverages); and health policies. The products and services related to these operations were offered by subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation.

     In 2000, CIGNA sold its U.S. individual life, group life and accidental death reinsurance businesses. CIGNA placed its remaining reinsurance businesses (including its accident, domestic health, international life and health, and annuity reinsurance businesses) into run-off as of June 1, 2000 and stopped underwriting new reinsurance business.

     CIGNA’s exposures stem primarily from its annuity reinsurance business, including its reinsurance of guaranteed minimum death benefits (“GMDB”) and guaranteed minimum income benefits (“GMIB”) contracts. Additional exposures arise from its reinsurance of workers’ compensation and other personal accident and catastrophic risks.

Life and Annuity Policies

Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Contracts

     CIGNA’s reinsurance segment reinsured GMDB (also known as variable annuity death benefits (“VADBe”)), under certain variable annuities issued by other insurance companies. These variable annuities are essentially investments in mutual funds combined with a death benefit. CIGNA has equity and other market exposures as a result of this product. The Company purchased retrocessional protection that covers a portion of the assumed risks. The Company also maintains a dynamic hedge program (“GMDB equity hedge program”) to substantially reduce the equity market exposures relating to GMDB contracts by entering into exchange-traded futures contracts.   

     For additional information about guaranteed minimum death benefit contracts, see “Run-off Reinsurance” beginning on page 62 and Note 7 to CIGNA’s Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on page 100 of this Form 10-K.

Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit Contracts

     In certain circumstances where CIGNA’s reinsurance operations reinsured the guaranteed minimum death benefit, CIGNA also reinsured GMIB under certain variable annuities issued by other insurance companies. These variable annuities are essentially investments in mutual funds combined with minimum income and death benefits. All reinsured GMIB policies also have a GMDB benefit reinsured by the Company.  When annuitants elect to receive these minimum income benefits, CIGNA may be required to make payments which will vary based on changes in underlying mutual fund values and interest rates. CIGNA has retrocessional coverage for 55% of the exposures on these contracts, provided by two external reinsurers.

     For additional information about guaranteed minimum income benefit contracts, see “Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefits” under “Run-off Reinsurance” beginning on page 62 and Note 11 to CIGNA’s Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on page 110 of this Form 10-K.

Workers ’ Compensation, Personal Accident and Catastrophe

     CIGNA reinsured workers’ compensation and other personal accident and catastrophic risks in the London market and in the United States. CIGNA purchased retrocessional coverage in these markets to substantially reduce the risk of loss on these contracts.

Health

     The health policies have been substantially run off.

Markets and Distribution

     These products under CIGNA’s Run-off Reinsurance segment were sold principally in North America and Europe through a small sales force and through intermediaries.

     Prior to 2000, CIGNA also purchased reinsurance to reduce the risk of losses on contracts that it had written. CIGNA determines its net exposure for run-off reinsurance contracts by estimating the portion of its policy and claim reserves that it expects will be recovered from its reinsurers (or “retrocessionaires”) and reflecting these in its financial statements as Reinsurance Recoverables, or, with respect to guaranteed minimum income benefit contracts discussed above, as Other Assets.

Other Risks

     For more information see “Run-off Reinsurance” beginning on page 62, and Note 8 to CIGNA’s Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on page 103 of this Form 10-K. For more information on the risk associated with Run-off Reinsurance, see the “Risk Factors” beginning on page 31 of this Form 10-K, and the “Critical Accounting Estimates” section of the MD&A beginning on page 49 of this Form 10-K.

G. Other Operations

     Other Operations consists of:

•		non-leveraged and leveraged corporate-owned life insurance;
•		deferred gains recognized from the 1998 sale of the individual life insurance and annuity business and the 2004 sale of the retirement benefits business; and
•		run-off settlement annuity business.

     The products and services related to these operations are offered by subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation.

Corporate-owned Life Insurance (“COLI”)

Principal Products and Services

     The principal products of the COLI business are permanent insurance contracts sold to corporations to provide coverage on the lives of certain of their employees. Permanent life insurance provides coverage that, when adequately funded, does not expire after a term of years. The contracts are primarily non-participating universal life policies. The key distinction between leveraged and non-leveraged COLI products is that, with leveraged COLI, the product design anticipates borrowing by the policy owner of a portion of the surrender value, while policy loans are not a significant feature of non-leveraged COLI.

     Universal life policies typically provide flexible coverage and flexible premium payments. Policy cash values fluctuate with the amount of the premiums paid, mortality and expense charges assessed, and interest credited to the policy. Variable universal life policies are universal life contracts in which the cash values vary directly with the performance of a specific pool of investments underlying the policy.

     The principal services provided by the corporate-owned life insurance business are issuance and administration of the insurance policies (e.g., maintenance of records regarding cash values and death benefits, claims processing, etc.) as well as oversight of the investment management for separate account assets that support the variable universal life product.

Product Features

     Cash values on universal life policies are credited interest at a declared interest rate that reflects the anticipated investment results of the assets backing these policies and may vary with the characteristics of each product. Universal life policies generally have a minimum guaranteed declared interest rate which may be cumulative from the issuance date of the policy. The declared interest rate may be changed monthly, but is generally changed less frequently. While variable universal life products may have a guaranteed minimum crediting rate, CIGNA did not have any such contracts at December 31, 2008.

     In lieu of credited interest rates, holders of certain universal life policies may elect to receive credited income based on changes in an equity index, such as the S&P 500 ^® . No such elections have been made since 2004.

     Mortality risk is retained according to guidelines established by CIGNA. To the extent a given policy carries mortality risk that exceeds these guidelines, reinsurance is purchased from third parties for the balance.

Pricing, Reserves, and Reinsurance

     Fees for universal life insurance products consist of mortality, administrative and surrender charges assessed against the policyholder’s fund balance. Interest credited and mortality charges for universal life and mortality charges on variable universal life may be adjusted prospectively to reflect expected interest and mortality experience.

     For universal life insurance, CIGNA establishes reserves for deposits received and interest credited to the contractholder, less mortality and administrative charges assessed against the contractholder’s fund balance.

     In order to reduce its exposure to large individual and catastrophe losses, CIGNA purchases reinsurance from unaffiliated reinsurers.

Markets and Distribution

     Prior to 2008, the Company was not actively marketing and distributing COLI products. In 2008, the Company decided to re-enter the market for COLI products, and is currently actively pursuing opportunities associated with the COLI business.

     The principal markets for COLI products are regional to national account-sized corporations, including banks. CIGNA’s COLI products are offered through a select group of independent brokers with particular expertise in the bank market and in the use of COLI for the financing of benefit plan liabilities.

Competition

     The principal competitive factors that affect CIGNA’s COLI business are pricing, service, product innovation and access to third-party distribution.

     For CIGNA’s COLI business, competitors are primarily national life insurance companies, including insurance subsidiaries of banks.

     CIGNA expects that the competitive environment will intensify as the economy recovers and competitors develop new investment strategies and product designs, and aggressively price their offerings to build distribution capacity and gain market share.

Industry Developments and Strategic Initiatives

     The legislative environment surrounding COLI has evolved considerably over the past decade. Most recently, the Pension Protection Act of 2006 included provisions related to the notice requirements given to insured employees and limited coverage to certain more highly compensated employees. These changes were widely viewed as clarification of existing rules or industry best practices.

Sale of Individual Life Insurance & Annuity and Retirement Benefits Businesses

     CIGNA sold its individual life insurance and annuity business in 1998 and its retirement business in 2004. Portions of the gains from these sales were deferred because the principal agreements to sell these businesses were structured as reinsurance arrangements. The deferred portion relating to the remaining reinsurance is being recognized at the rate that earnings from the sold businesses would have been expected to emerge, primarily over 15 years on a declining basis.

     Because the individual life and annuity business was sold in an indemnity reinsurance transaction, CIGNA is not relieved of primary liability for the reinsured business and had reinsurance recoverables totaling $4.6 billion as of December 31, 2008. Effective as of December 14, 2007, the purchaser placed a significant portion of the assets supporting the reserves for the purchased business into a trust for the benefit of CIGNA which qualifies to support CIGNA’s credit for the reinsurance ceded under Regulation 114 of the New York Department of Insurance. Trust assets are limited to cash, certificates of deposits in U.S. banks, and securities specified by section 1404 (a) of the New York insurance law and consist primarily of fixed maturities. At December 31, 2008, the value of the trust assets secured approximately 90% of the reinsurance recoverable. The remaining balance is currently unsecured. If Lincoln National Life Insurance Company and Lincoln Life & Annuity of New York do not maintain a specified minimum credit or claims paying rating, these reinsurers are required to fully secure the outstanding balance. S&P has assigned both of these reinsurers a rating of AA.

     CIGNA’s sale of its retirement business primarily took the form of an arrangement under which CIGNA reinsured with the purchaser of the retirement business the general account contractholder liabilities under an indemnity reinsurance arrangement and the separate account liabilities under modified coinsurance and indemnity reinsurance arrangements.

     Since the sale of the retirement benefits business in 2004, the purchaser of that business has entered into agreements with certain insured party contractholders (“novation agreements”), which relieved CIGNA of any remaining contractual obligations to the contractholders. As a result, CIGNA reduced reinsurance recoverables, contractholder deposit funds, and separate account balances

for these obligations. The purchaser of the retirement benefits business deposited assets associated with the reinsurance of general account contracts into a trust (the “Ceded Business Trust”) to provide security to CIGNA for the related reinsurance recoverables. The purchaser is permitted to withdraw assets from the Ceded Business Trust equal to the reduction in CIGNA’s reserves whenever a reduction occurs. For example, reductions will occur when the purchaser enters into additional novation agreements and directly assumes liability to the insured party. Assets in the trust must be greater than or equal to general account statutory liabilities of the ceded business. Trust assets are limited to those types of investments that are permitted by the state of Connecticut for general account investing and consist primarily of fixed maturities. As of December 31, 2008, assets totaling $2.5 billion remained in the Ceded Business Trust, and the remaining reserves for the purchased business were $1.9 billion.

Settlement Annuity Business

     CIGNA’s settlement annuity business is a run-off block of contracts. These contracts are primarily liability settlements with approximately 35% of the liabilities associated with payments which are guaranteed and not contingent on survivorship. In the case of the contracts that involve non-guaranteed payments, such payments are contingent on the survival of one or more parties involved in the settlement.

     The Settlement Annuities business is premium deficient, meaning initial premiums were not sufficient to cover all claims and profit. Liabilities are estimates of the present value of benefits to be paid less the present value of investment income generated by the assets supporting the product including realized and unrealized capital gains. The company estimates these liabilities based on assumptions for investment yields, mortality, and administrative expenses. Refer to Note 2 to CIGNA’s Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on page 86 for additional information regarding reserves for this business.

Other Risks

     For more information, see “Other Operations” beginning on page 65 of this Form 10-K.

H. Investments and Investment Income

     CIGNA’s investment operations provide investment management and related services primarily for CIGNA’s corporate invested assets and the insurance-related invested assets in its General Account (“Invested Assets”). CIGNA acquires or originates, directly or through intermediaries, various investments including private placements, public securities, commercial mortgage loans, real estate and short-term investments. CIGNA’s Invested Assets are managed primarily by CIGNA subsidiaries and external managers with whom CIGNA’s subsidiaries contract.

     The Invested Assets comprise a majority of the combined assets of the Health Care, Disability and Life, Run-off Reinsurance and Other Operations segments (collectively, the “Domestic Portfolios”). There are, in addition, portfolios containing Invested Assets that consist of the assets of the International segment (collectively, the “International Portfolios”).

     Net investment income and realized investment gains (losses) are not reported separately in the investment operations. Instead, net investment income is included as a component of earnings for each of CIGNA’s operating segments (Health Care, Disability and Life, Run-off Reinsurance, Other Operations, International and Corporate), net of the expenses attributable to the investment operations. Realized investment gains (losses) are reported for each of CIGNA’s operating segments.

Assets Under Management

     CIGNA’s Invested Assets under management at December 31, 2008 totaled $18.0 billion. See Schedule I to CIGNA’s 2008 Consolidated Financial Statements on page FS-3 of this Form 10-K for more information as to the allocation to types of investments.

     As of December 31, 2008, CIGNA’s separate account funds consisted of:

•		$1.5 billion in separate account assets that are managed by the buyer of the retirement benefits business pursuant to reinsurance arrangements described in “Sale of Individual Life Insurance & Annuity and Retirement Benefits Businesses” in Note 3 beginning on page 96 of this Form 10-K;
•		$1.5 billion in separate account assets which constitute a portion of the assets of the CIGNA Pension Plan; and
•		$2.9 billion in separate account assets which primarily support certain corporate-owned life insurance, health care and disability and life products.

Types of Investments

     CIGNA invests in a broad range of asset classes, including domestic and international fixed maturities and common stocks, commercial mortgage loans, real estate and short-term investments. Fixed maturity investments include publicly traded and private placement corporate bonds, government bonds, publicly traded and private placement asset-backed securities, and redeemable preferred stocks. In connection with CIGNA’s investment strategy to enhance investment yields by selling senior participations of commercial mortgage loans, as of December 31, 2008, commercial mortgage loans include $75 million of commercial mortgage loans originated with the intent to sell. These commercial mortgage loans held for sale are carried at the lower of cost or fair value with any resulting valuation allowance reported in realized investment gains and losses.

     For the International Portfolios, CIGNA invests primarily in publicly traded fixed maturities, short-term investments and time deposits denominated in the currency of the relevant liabilities and surplus.

Fixed Maturities

     CIGNA’s fixed maturities are 92% investment grade as determined by external rating agencies (for public investments) and by CIGNA (for private investments). These assets are well diversified by individual holding and industry sector. For information about below investment grade holdings, see the “Investment Assets” section of the MD&A beginning on page 73 of this Form 10-K.

Commercial Mortgages and Real Estate

     Commercial mortgage loan investments are subject to underwriting criteria addressing loan-to-value ratio, debt service coverage, cash flow, tenant quality, leasing, market, location and borrower’s financial strength. Such investments consist primarily of first

mortgage loans on commercial properties and are diversified by property type, location and borrower. CIGNA invests primarily in commercial mortgages on fully completed and substantially leased commercial properties. Virtually all of CIGNA’s commercial mortgage loans are balloon payment loans, under which all or a substantial portion of the loan principal is due at the end of the loan term. CIGNA holds no direct residential mortgages. The weighted average loan to value ratio of the Company’s commercial mortgage loan portfolio, based on management’s annual valuation completed in the third quarter of 2008, was approximately 64% and the weighted average debt service coverage was approximately 1.5 times.

     CIGNA enters into joint ventures with local partners to develop, lease, manage, and sell commercial real estate to maximize investment returns. CIGNA’s portfolio of real estate investments consists of properties under development and stabilized properties, and is diversified relative to property type and location. CIGNA also acquires real estate through foreclosure of commercial mortgage loans. CIGNA rehabilitates, re-leases, and sells foreclosed properties, a process that usually takes from two to four years unless management considers a near-term sale preferable. Additionally, CIGNA invests in third party sponsored real estate funds to maximize investment returns and to maintain diversity with respect to its real estate related exposure. CIGNA sold its remaining foreclosed property and did not acquire any properties through foreclosure in 2008.

Mezzanine and Private Equity Partnerships

     CIGNA invests in limited partnership interests in partnerships formed and managed by seasoned, experienced fund managers with diverse mezzanine and private equity strategies.

Derivative Instruments

     CIGNA generally uses derivative financial instruments to minimize its exposure to certain market risks. CIGNA has also written derivative instruments to minimize certain insurance customers’ market risks. In addition, to enhance investment returns, CIGNA may invest in indexed credit default swaps or other credit derivatives from time to time. However, as of December 31, 2008, CIGNA held no indexed credit default swaps or other credit derivatives. For information about CIGNA’s use of derivative financial instruments, see Note 12 to CIGNA’s 2008 Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on page 115 of this Form 10-K.

     See also the “Investment Assets” section of the MD&A beginning on page 73, and Notes 2, 12, and 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on pages 86, 115 and 121, respectively, of this Form 10-K for additional information about CIGNA’s investments.

Domestic Portfolios – Investment Strategy

     As of December 31, 2008 the Domestic Portfolios had $16.6 billion in Invested Assets, allocated among fixed maturity investments (63%); commercial mortgage loan investments (22%); and policy loans, real estate investments, short-term investments and mezzanine and private equity partnership investments (15%).

     CIGNA generally manages the characteristics of these assets to reflect the underlying characteristics of related insurance and contractholder liabilities and related capital requirements, as well as regulatory and tax considerations pertaining to those liabilities, and state investment laws. CIGNA’s domestic insurance and contractholder liabilities as of December 31, 2008, excluding liabilities of businesses sold through the use of reinsurance arrangements, were associated with the following products, and the Invested Assets are allocated proportionally as follows: other life and health, 52%; fully guaranteed annuity, 19%; and interest-sensitive life insurance, 29%.

     While the businesses and products supported are described elsewhere in this Form 10-K, the Invested Assets supporting CIGNA’s insurance and contractholder liabilities related to each of its segments are as follows:

•		The Invested Assets supporting CIGNA’s Health Care segment are structured to emphasize investment income, and provide the necessary liquidity to meet cash flow requirements.
•		The Invested Assets supporting CIGNA’s Disability and Life segment are also structured to emphasize investment income, and provide necessary liquidity to meet cash flow requirements. Invested Assets supporting longer-term group disability insurance benefits and group life waiver of premium benefits are generally managed to an aggregate duration similar to that of the related benefit cash flows.

•		The Invested Assets supporting the Run-off Reinsurance segment with respect to reinsurance provided for guaranteed minimum death benefit contracts and guaranteed minimum income benefit contracts are structured to emphasize investment income, and provide the necessary liquidity to meet cash flow requirements. For information about CIGNA’s use of derivative financial instruments in the Run-off Reinsurance segment, see Notes 7 and 11 to CIGNA’s Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on pages 100 and 110 of this Form 10-K.
•		The Invested Assets supporting CIGNA’s Other Operations segment are associated primarily with fully guaranteed annuities (primarily settlement annuities) and interest-sensitive life insurance (primarily corporate-owned life insurance products). Because settlement annuities generally do not permit withdrawal by policyholders prior to maturity, the amount and timing of future benefit cash flows can be reasonably estimated so funds supporting these products are invested in fixed income investments that generally match the aggregate duration of the investment portfolio with that of the related benefit cash flows. As of December 31, 2008, the duration of assets that supported these liabilities was approximately 12.2 years. Invested Assets supporting interest-sensitive life insurance products are primarily fixed income investments and policy loans. Fixed income investments emphasize investment yield while meeting the liquidity requirements of the related liabilities.

     Investment strategy and results are affected by the amount and timing of cash available for investment, competition for investments, economic conditions, interest rates and asset allocation decisions. CIGNA routinely monitors and evaluates the status of its investments in light of current economic conditions, trends in capital markets and other factors. Such factors include industry sector considerations for fixed maturity investments and mezzanine and private equity partnership investments, and geographic and property-type considerations for commercial mortgage loan and real estate investments.

International Portfolios – Investment Strategy

     As of December 31, 2008 the International Portfolios had $1.4 billion in Invested Assets. The International Portfolios are primarily managed by external managers with whom CIGNA’s subsidiaries contract.

     The characteristics of these assets are generally managed to reflect the underlying characteristics of related insurance and contractholder liabilities, as well as regulatory and tax considerations in the countries where CIGNA’s subsidiaries operate. CIGNA International’s Invested Assets are generally invested in the currency of related liabilities, typically the currency in which the subsidiaries operate and with an aggregate duration generally matching the duration of insurance liabilities and surplus. CIGNA’s investment policy allows the investment of subsidiary assets in U.S. dollars to the extent permitted by regulation. CIGNA International’s Invested Assets as of December 31, 2008 were held primarily in support of statutory surplus and liabilities associated with the life, accident and supplemental health and healthcare products described in Section E on page 14.

I.   Regulation

     CIGNA and its subsidiaries are subject to federal, state and international regulations and CIGNA has established policies and procedures to comply with applicable requirements.

     CIGNA’s insurance and HMO subsidiaries must be licensed by the jurisdictions in which they conduct business. These subsidiaries are subject to numerous state and federal regulations related to their business operations, including, but not limited to:

•		the form and content of customer contracts including benefit mandates (including special requirements for small groups, generally under 50 employees);
•		premium rates;
•		the content of agreements with participating providers of covered services;
•		producer appointment and compensation;
•		claims processing and appeals;
•		underwriting practices;
•		reinsurance arrangements;
•		unfair trade and claim practices;
•		protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the information received from members;
•		risk sharing arrangements with providers; and
•		the operation of consumer-directed plans (including health savings accounts, health reimbursement accounts, flexible spending accounts and debit cards).

     CIGNA and its international subsidiaries comply with regulations in international jurisdictions where foreign insurers are, in some countries, faced with greater restrictions than their domestic competitors. These restrictions may include discriminatory licensing procedures, compulsory cessions of reinsurance, required localization of records and funds, higher premium and income taxes, and requirements for local participation in an insurer’s ownership.

     CIGNA and its subsidiaries are also subject to state and federal laws relating to business entities.

     Other types of regulatory oversight predominantly as to CIGNA and its subsidiaries products and services are described below.

Regulation of Insurance Companies

Financial Reporting

     Regulators closely monitor the financial condition of licensed insurance companies and HMOs. States regulate the form and content of statutory financial statements and the type and concentration of permitted investments. CIGNA’s insurance and HMO subsidiaries are required to file periodic financial reports with regulators in most of the jurisdictions in which they do business, and their operations and accounts are subject to examination by such agencies at regular intervals.

Guaranty Associations, Indemnity Funds, Risk Pools and Administrative Funds

     Most states and certain non-U.S. jurisdictions require insurance companies to support guaranty associations or indemnity funds, which are established to pay claims on behalf of insolvent insurance companies. In the United States, these associations levy assessments on member insurers licensed in a particular state to pay such claims.

     Several states also require HMOs to participate in guaranty funds, special risk pools and administrative funds. For additional information about guaranty fund and other assessments, see Note 22 to CIGNA’s Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on page 133 of this Form 10-K.

     Some states also require health insurers and HMOs to participate in assigned risk plans, joint underwriting authorities, pools or other residual market mechanisms to cover risks not acceptable under normal underwriting standards.

Solvency and Capital Requirements

     Many states have adopted some form of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) model solvency-related laws and risk-based capital rules (“RBC rules”) for life and health insurance companies. The RBC rules recommend a minimum level of capital depending on the types and quality of investments held, the types of business written and the types of liabilities incurred. If the ratio of the insurer’s adjusted surplus to its risk-based capital falls below statutory required minimums, the insurer could be subject to regulatory actions ranging from increased scrutiny to conservatorship.

     In addition, various non-U.S. jurisdictions prescribe minimum surplus requirements that are based upon solvency, liquidity and reserve coverage measures. During 2008, CIGNA’s HMOs and life and health insurance subsidiaries, as well as non-U.S. insurance subsidiaries, were compliant with applicable RBC and non-U.S. surplus rules.

     In 2008, the NAIC adopted Actuarial Guideline VACARVM, Commissioners Annuity Reserve Valuation Method for Variable Annuities, which will be effective December 31, 2009. VACARVM will impact statutory and tax reserves for CIGNA’s contracts covering guaranteed minimum death benefits and guaranteed minimum income benefits. Upon implementation, it is anticipated that statutory reserves for those products will increase and thus statutory surplus for Connecticut General Life Insurance Company will be reduced. The magnitude of any impact depends on equity market and interest rate levels at the time of implementation.

Holding Company Laws

     CIGNA’s domestic insurance companies and certain of its HMOs are subject to state laws regulating subsidiaries of insurance holding companies. Under such laws, certain dividends, distributions and other transactions between an insurance or HMO subsidiary and its affiliates may require notification to, or approval by, one or more state insurance commissioners.

Oversight of Marketing, Advertising and Broker Compensation

     State and/or federal regulatory scrutiny of life and health insurance company and HMO marketing and advertising practices, including the adequacy of disclosure regarding products and their administration, may result in increased regulation. Products offering limited benefits, such as those issued in connection with the Star HRG business acquired in July 2006, may attract increased regulatory scrutiny. States have responded to concerns about the marketing, advertising and administration of insurance and HMO products and administrative practices by increasing the number and frequency of market conduct examinations and imposing larger penalties for violations of applicable laws and regulations.

     In recent years, perceived abuses in broker compensation practices have been the focus of greatly heightened regulatory scrutiny. This increased regulatory focus may lead to legislative or regulatory changes that would affect the manner in which CIGNA and its competitors compensate brokers. For more information regarding general governmental inquiries relating to CIGNA subsidiaries, see “Legal Proceedings” in Item 3 beginning on page 39.

Licensing Requirements

Pharmacy Licensure Laws

     Certain CIGNA subsidiaries are pharmacies, which dispense prescription drugs to participants of benefit plans administered or insured by CIGNA subsidiary HMOs and insurance companies. These pharmacy-subsidiaries are subject to state licensing requirements and regulation.

Claim Administration, Utilization Review and Related Services

     Certain CIGNA subsidiaries contract for the provision of claim administration, utilization management and other related services with respect to the administration of self-insured benefit plans. These CIGNA subsidiaries may be subject to state third-party administration and other licensing requirements and regulation.

Federal Regulations

Employee Retirement Income Security Act

     CIGNA subsidiaries sell most of their products and services to sponsors of employee benefit plans that are governed by the Federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”). CIGNA subsidiaries may be subject to requirements imposed by ERISA on plan fiduciaries and parties in interest, including regulations affecting claim and appeals procedures for health, dental, disability, life and accident plans.

Medicare Regulations

     Several CIGNA subsidiaries engage in businesses that are subject to federal Medicare regulations such as:

•		those offering individual and group Medicare Advantage (HMO) coverage in Arizona;
•		contractual arrangements with the federal government for the processing of certain Medicare claims and other administrative services; and
•		those offering Medicare Pharmacy (Part D) and Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service products that are subject to federal Medicare regulations.

Federal Audits of Government Sponsored Health Care Programs

     Participation in government sponsored health care programs subjects CIGNA to a variety of federal laws and regulations and risks associated with audits conducted under the programs (which may occur in years subsequent to provision by CIGNA of the relevant services under audit). These risks may include reimbursement claims as well as potential fines and penalties. For example, the federal government requires Medicare and Medicaid providers to file detailed cost reports for health care services provided. These reports may be audited in subsequent years. CIGNA HMOs that contract to provide community-rated coverage to participants in the federal Employees Health Benefit Plan may be required to reimburse the federal government if, following an audit, it is determined that a federal employee group did not receive the benefit of a discount offered by a CIGNA HMO to one of the two groups closest in size to the federal employee group. See “Health Care” in Section C beginning on page 1 for additional information about CIGNA’s participation in government health-related programs.

Privacy and Information Disclosure and Portability Regulations

     The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) imposes requirements for guaranteed issuance (for groups with 50 or fewer lives), electronic data security standards, and renewal and portability, on health care insurers and HMOs. In addition, HIPAA regulations required the assignment of a unique national identifier for providers by May 2007. The federal government, states and territories (as well as most non-U.S. jurisdictions) impose requirements regarding the use and disclosure of identifiable information about individuals and, in an effort to deal with the growing threat of identity theft, the handling of privacy and security breaches.

Antitrust Regulations

     CIGNA subsidiaries are also engaged in activities that may be scrutinized under federal and state antitrust laws and regulations. These activities include the administration of strategic alliances with competitors, information sharing with competitors and provider contracting.

Anti-Money Laundering Regulations

     Certain CIGNA subsidiaries are subject to United States Department of the Treasury anti-money laundering regulations. Those subsidiaries have implemented anti-money laundering policies designed to insure their affected products comply with the regulations.

Investment-Related Regulations

     Depending upon their nature, CIGNA’s investment management activities are subject to U.S. federal securities laws, ERISA, and other federal and state laws governing investment related activities. In many cases, the investment management activities and investments of individual insurance companies are subject to regulation by multiple jurisdictions.

Regulatory Developments

     The business of administering and insuring employee benefit programs, particularly health care programs, is heavily regulated by federal and state laws and administrative agencies, such as state departments of insurance and the federal Departments of Labor and Justice, as well as the courts. In the growing area of consumer-driven plans, health savings accounts and health reimbursement accounts are also regulated by the United States Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service. For information on Regulatory and Industry Developments, see page 67 in the MD&A and Note 22 to CIGNA’s Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on page 133 of this Form 10-K.

     Federal and state regulation and legislation may affect CIGNA’s operations in a variety of ways. In addition to proposals discussed above related to increased regulation of the health care industry, other proposed measures that may significantly affect CIGNA’s operations include calls for universal health care coverage and for government sponsored single payor, market reforms achieved through state and federal legislation, modifications of the Medicare program, and employee benefit regulation including modification to the tax treatment of employee benefits.

     The economic and competitive effects of the legislative and regulatory proposals discussed above on CIGNA’s business operations will depend upon the final form of any such legislation or regulation.

J.  Ratings

     CIGNA and certain of its insurance subsidiaries are rated by nationally recognized rating agencies. The significance of individual ratings varies from agency to agency. However, companies that are assigned ratings at the top end of the range have, in the opinion of the rating agency, the strongest capacity for repayment of debt or payment of claims, while companies at the bottom end of the range have the weakest capacity.

     Insurance ratings represent the opinions of the rating agencies on the financial strength of a company and its capacity to meet the obligations of insurance policies. The principal agencies that rate CIGNA’s insurance subsidiaries characterize their insurance rating scales as follows:

•		A.M. Best Company, Inc. (“A.M. Best”), A++ to S (“Superior” to “Suspended”);
•		Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”), Aaa to C (“Exceptional” to “Lowest”);
•		Standard & Poor’s Corp. (“S&P”), AAA to R (“Extremely Strong” to “Regulatory Action”); and
•		Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”), AAA to D (“Exceptionally Strong” to “Order of Liquidation”).

     As of February 25, 2009, the insurance financial strength ratings for CIGNA subsidiaries, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CG Life) and Life Insurance Company of North America (LINA) were as follows:

     Debt ratings are assessments of the likelihood that a company will make timely payments of principal and interest. The principal agencies that rate CIGNA’s senior debt characterize their rating scales as follows:

	•		Moody’s, Aaa to C (“Exceptional” to “Lowest”);
	•		S&P, AAA to D (“Extremely Strong” to “Default”); and
	•		Fitch, AAA to D (“Highest” to “Default”).

     The commercial paper rating scales for those agencies are as follows:

	•		Moody’s, Prime-1 to Not Prime (“Superior” to “Not Prime”);
	•		S&P, A-1+ to D (“Extremely Strong” to “Default”); and
	•		Fitch, F-1+ to D (“Very Strong” to “Distressed”).

     As of February 25, 2009, the debt ratings assigned to CIGNA Corporation by the following agencies were as follows:

     CIGNA is committed to maintaining appropriate levels of capital in its subsidiaries to support financial strength ratings that meet customers’ expectations, and to improving the earnings of the health care business. Lower ratings at the parent company level increase the cost to borrow funds. Lower ratings of CG Life and LINA could adversely affect new sales and retention of current business.

K. Miscellaneous

     CIGNA and its principal subsidiaries are not dependent on business from one or a few customers. No customer accounted for 10% or more of CIGNA’s consolidated revenues in 2008. CIGNA and its principal subsidiaries are not dependent on business from one or a few brokers or agents. In addition, CIGNA’s insurance businesses are generally not committed to accept a fixed portion of the business submitted by independent brokers and agents, and generally all such business is subject to its approval and acceptance.

     CIGNA had approximately 30,300, 26,600, and 27,100 employees as of December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively.

Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

     As a large company operating in a complex industry, CIGNA encounters a variety of risks and uncertainties including those identified in this Risk Factor discussion and elsewhere in this report. CIGNA devotes resources to developing enterprise-wide risk management processes, in addition to the risk management processes within its businesses. These factors represent risks and uncertainties that could have a material adverse effect on CIGNA’s business, liquidity, results of operations or financial condition. These risks and uncertainties are not the only ones CIGNA faces. Other risks and uncertainties that CIGNA does not know about now, or that the Company does not now think are significant and does not appropriately identify and manage, may impair its business or the trading price of its securities. The following are significant risks identified by CIGNA.

Future performance of CIGNA’s business will depend on the Company’s ability to execute its strategic initiatives.

The future performance of CIGNA’s business will depend in large part on CIGNA’s ability to execute effectively and implement its strategic initiatives. These initiatives include: executing CIGNA’s customer engagement strategy, including designing products to meet emerging market trends and ensuring that an appropriate infrastructure is in place to meet the needs of customers; continuing to reduce medical costs; market expansion, in particular in the individual and small business markets, as well as growth in medical and specialty membership; and further improving the efficiency of operations, including lowering operating costs per member and enabling higher value services.

Successful execution of these initiatives depends on a number of factors including:

•		successful alignment and integration of services and operations to reduce costs and retain and grow CIGNA’s customer base;
•		addition and retention of customers by providing appropriate levels of support and service for CIGNA’s products, as well as avoiding service and health coaching related errors;
•		attraction and retention of sufficient numbers of qualified employees;
•		the negotiation of favorable provider contracts;
•		development and introduction of new products or programs, because of the inherent risks and uncertainties associated with product development, particularly in response to government regulation or the increased focus on consumer directed products;
•		the identification and introduction of the proper mix or integration of products that will be accepted by the marketplace; and
•		the ability of CIGNA’s products and services to differentiate CIGNA from its competitors and for CIGNA to demonstrate that these products and services (such as disease management and health coaching programs, provider credentialing and other quality care initiatives) result in improved health outcomes and reduced costs.

If CIGNA does not adequately invest in and effectively execute improvements in its information technology infrastructure and improve its functionality, it will not be able to deliver the service required in the evolving marketplace at a competitive cost.

CIGNA’s success in executing its consumer engagement strategy depends on the Company’s continued improvements to its information technology infrastructure and customer service offerings. The marketplace is evolving and the level of service that is acceptable to customers today will not necessarily be acceptable tomorrow. The Company must continue to invest in long term solutions that will enable it to meet customer expectations. CIGNA’s success is dependent, in large part, on maintaining the effectiveness of existing technology systems and continuing to deliver and enhance technology systems that support the Company’s business processes in a cost-efficient and resource-efficient manner. CIGNA also must develop new systems to meet the current market standard and keep pace with continuing changes in information processing technology, evolving industry and regulatory standards and customer needs. System development projects are long term in nature, may be more costly than expected to complete, and may not deliver the expected benefits upon completion.

CIGNA’s business depends on its ability to properly maintain the integrity or security of its data or to strategically implement new information systems.

CIGNA’s business depends on effective information systems and the integrity and timeliness of the data it uses to run its business. CIGNA’s business strategy requires providing members and providers with Internet-enabled products and information to meet their needs. CIGNA’s ability to adequately price its products and services, establish reserves, provide effective and efficient service to its customers, and to timely and accurately report its financial results also depends significantly on the integrity of the data in its information systems. If the information CIGNA relies upon to run its businesses were found to be inaccurate or unreliable due to fraud or other error, or if CIGNA were to fail to maintain effectively its information systems and data integrity, the Company could have problems with, among other things: operational disruptions, which may impact customers, physicians and other health care providers; determining medical cost estimates and establishing appropriate pricing; retaining and attracting customers; and regulatory compliance.

If CIGNA were unable to maintain the security of any sensitive data residing on the Company’s systems whether due to its own actions or those of any vendors, CIGNA’s reputation would be adversely affected and the Company could be exposed to litigation or other actions, fines or penalties.

If CIGNA fails to manage successfully its outsourcing projects and key vendors, CIGNA’s business could be disrupted .

CIGNA takes steps to monitor and regulate the performance of independent third parties who provide services or to whom the Company delegates selected functions. These third parties include information technology system providers, independent practice associations, call center and claim service providers, specialty service providers and include those vendor relationships that the Company acquired from Great-West HealthCare.

In addition to the software applications and human resource operations support IBM had previously provided pursuant to several smaller contracts, in 2006, CIGNA entered into an agreement with IBM to operate significant portions of its information technology infrastructure, including the provision of services relating to its call center application, enterprise content management, risk-based capital analytical infrastructure and voice and data communications network. The 2006 contract with IBM includes several service level agreements, or SLAs, related to issues such as performance and job disruption with significant financial penalties if these SLAs are not met. However, the Company may not be adequately indemnified against all possible losses through the terms and conditions of the agreement. In addition, some of CIGNA’s termination rights are contingent upon payment of a fee, which may be significant. If CIGNA’s relationship with IBM is terminated, the Company may experience disruption of service to customers.

Arrangements with key vendors may make CIGNA’s operations vulnerable if third parties fail to satisfy their obligations to the Company, as a result of their performance, changes in their own operations, financial condition, or other matters outside of CIGNA’s control. Certain legislative authorities have in recent periods discussed or proposed legislation that would restrict outsourcing and, if enacted, could materially increase CIGNA’s costs. Further, CIGNA may not fully realize on a timely basis the anticipated economic and other benefits of the outsourcing projects or other relationships it enters into with key vendors, which could result in substantial costs or other operational or financial problems for the Company.

Sustained or significant deterioration in economic conditions could significantly impact the Company’s customers and vendors.

The Company is exposed to risks associated with the potential financial instability of its customers, many of which may be adversely affected by the volatile conditions in the financial markets. As a result of the difficult economic environment, customers may experience serious cash flow problems and other financial difficulties. As a result, they may modify, delay or cancel plans to purchase the Company’s products, may make changes in the mix of products purchased that are unfavorable to the Company, or may be forced to reduce their workforces. Specifically, higher unemployment rates as a result of a prolonged economic downturn could lead to lower enrollment in the Company’s employer group plans, lower enrollment in our non-employer individual plans and a higher number of employees opting out of CIGNA’s employer group plans. The adverse economic conditions could also cause employers to stop offering certain health care coverage as an employee benefit or elect to offer this coverage on a voluntary, employee-funded basis as a means to reduce their operating costs. In addition, the economic downturn could negatively impact the Company’s employer group renewal prospects and our ability to increase premiums and could result in cancellation of products and services by customers. This could also result in increased unemployment and an increase in the number of claims submitted. All of these developments could lead to a decrease in CIGNA’s membership levels and premium and fee revenues. Further, if customers are not successful in generating sufficient revenue or are precluded from securing financing, they may not be able to pay, or may delay payment of, accounts receivable that are owed to the Company. Any inability of current and/or potential customers to pay the Company for its products may adversely affect the Company’s earnings and cash flow.

In addition, the Company is susceptible to risks associated with the potential financial instability of the vendors on which it relies to provide services or to whom it delegates certain functions. The same conditions that may affect CIGNA’s customers also could adversely affect its vendors, causing them to significantly and quickly increase their prices or reduce their output. CIGNA’s business depends on its ability to perform, in an efficient and uninterrupted fashion, its necessary business functions.

A downgrade in the financial strength ratings of CIGNA’s insurance subsidiaries could adversely affect new sales and retention of current business, and a downgrade in CIGNA’s debt ratings would increase the cost of borrowed funds.

Financial strength, claims paying ability and debt ratings by recognized rating organizations are an important factor in establishing the competitive position of insurance companies and health benefits companies. Ratings information by nationally recognized ratings agencies is broadly disseminated and generally used throughout the industry. CIGNA believes the claims paying ability and financial strength ratings of its principal insurance subsidiaries are an important factor in marketing its products to certain of CIGNA’s customers. In addition, CIGNA Corporation’s debt ratings impact both the cost and availability of future borrowings, and accordingly, its cost of capital. Each of the rating agencies reviews CIGNA’s ratings periodically and there can be no assurance that current ratings will be maintained in the future. In addition, a downgrade of these ratings could make it more difficult to raise capital and to support business growth at CIGNA’s insurance subsidiaries.

A description of CIGNA Corporation ratings, other subsidiary ratings, as well as more information on these ratings, is included in “Ratings” in Section J beginning on page 28.

Unfavorable claims experience related to workers’ compensation and personal accident insurance exposures in CIGNA’s Run-off Reinsurance business could result in losses .

Unfavorable claims experience related to workers’ compensation and personal accident insurance exposures in CIGNA’s run-off reinsurance business is possible and could result in future losses. Further, CIGNA could have losses attributable to its inability to recover amounts from retrocessionaires or ceding companies either due to disputes with the retrocessionaires or ceding companies or their financial condition. If CIGNA’s reserves for amounts recoverable from retrocessionaires or ceding companies, as well as reserves associated with underlying reinsurance exposures are insufficient, it could result in losses.

CIGNA’s equity hedge program for its guaranteed minimum death benefits contracts could fail to reduce the risk of stock market declines.

As part of its run-off reinsurance business, CIGNA reinsured a guaranteed minimum death benefit under certain variable annuities issued by other insurance companies. CIGNA maintains a hedge program to reduce equity market risks related to these contracts by selling domestic and foreign-denominated exchange-traded futures contracts. The purpose of this program is to reduce the adverse effects of potential future domestic and international stock market declines on CIGNA’s liabilities for these contracts. Under the program, increases in liabilities under the annuity contracts from a declining equity market are offset by gains on the futures contracts. However the program will not perfectly offset the change in the liability in part because the market does not offer futures contracts that exactly match the diverse mix of equity fund investments held by contractholders. The impact of this mismatch may be higher in periods of significant volatility and may result in higher losses to the Company. In addition, the number of futures contracts used in the program is adjusted only when certain tolerances are exceeded and in periods of highly volatile equity markets when actual volatility exceeds the expected volatility assumed in the liability calculation, losses will result. Further, CIGNA could have difficulty in entering into appropriate futures contracts or there could be an adverse interest rate impact, (which are not covered by the program). See “Run-off Reinsurance” in Section F on page 16 for more information on the program.

Actual experience could differ significantly from CIGNA’s assumptions used in estimating CIGNA’s liabilities for reinsurance contracts covering guaranteed minimum death benefits or minimum income benefits.

CIGNA estimates reserves for guaranteed minimum death benefit and minimum income benefit exposures based on assumptions regarding lapse, partial surrender, mortality, interest rates, volatility, reinsurance recoverables, and, for minimum income benefit exposures, annuity income election rates. These estimates are currently based on CIGNA’s experience and future expectations. CIGNA monitors actual experience to update these reserve estimates as necessary. CIGNA regularly evaluates the assumptions used in establishing reserves and changes its estimates if actual experience or other evidence suggests that earlier assumptions should be revised. Further, CIGNA could have losses attributable to its inability to recover amounts from retrocessionaires. See Notes 7 and 11 to CIGNA’s Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on pages 100 and 110, respectively, for more information on assumptions used for the Company’s guaranteed minimum death benefit and minimum income benefit exposures.

Significant stock market declines could result in increased pension plan expenses, the recognition of additional pension obligations and increased funding for those obligations as well as larger net liabilities for guaranteed minimum death benefit contracts or for guaranteed minimum income benefit contracts.

CIGNA has a pension plan that covers a large number of current employees and retirees. Unfavorable investment performance due to significant stock market declines or changes in estimates of benefit costs if significant, could significantly increase the Company’s pension plan expenses and obligations.

In addition, CIGNA currently has unfunded obligations in its pension plan. A significant decline in the value of the plan investments or unfavorable changes in applicable laws or regulations could materially change the timing and amount of required plan funding, which could reduce the cash available to CIGNA, including its subsidiaries. See Note 10 to CIGNA’s Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on page 106 for more information on the Company’s obligations under the pension plan.

The Company calculates a provision for expected future partial surrenders as part of the liability for guaranteed minimum death benefit contracts. As equity markets decline, the amount of guaranteed death benefit exposure increases and the equity hedge program is designed to offset the corresponding change in the liability. If a contractholder withdraws substantially all of their mutual fund investments, the liability increases reflecting the lower assumed future premiums, the lower likelihood of lapsation, and the lower likelihood of account values recovering sufficient to reduce death benefit exposure in future periods. These effects are not covered by the Company’s equity hedge program. Thus if equity markets decline, the provision for expected future partial surrenders increases and there is no corresponding offset from the hedge program. As equity markets decline, the claim amounts that the Company expects to pay out for the guaranteed minimum income benefit business increases resulting in increased net liabilities.

Significant changes in market interest rates affect the value of CIGNA’s financial instruments that promise a fixed return or benefit.

As an insurer, CIGNA has substantial investment assets that support insurance and contractholder deposit policy liabilities. Generally low levels of interest rates on investments, such as those experienced in United States financial markets during recent years, have negatively impacted the level of investment income earned by the Company in recent periods, and such lower levels of investment income would continue if these lower interest rates were to continue. Substantially all of the Company’s investment assets are in fixed interest-yielding debt securities of varying maturities, fixed redeemable preferred securities and commercial mortgage loans. The value of these investment assets can fluctuate significantly with changes in market conditions. A rise in interest rates could reduce the value of the Company’s investment portfolio and increase interest expense if CIGNA were to access its available lines of credit.

The Company is also exposed to interest rate and equity risk based upon the discount rate and expected long-term rate of return assumptions associated with the Company’s pension and other post-retirement obligations. Sustained declines in interest rates or equity returns could have an adverse impact on the funded status of the Company’s pension plans and the Company’s re-investment yield on new investments.

As the 7-year Treasury rate (claim interest rate) declines, the claim amounts that the Company expects to pay out for the guaranteed minimum income benefit business increases. For a subset of the business, there is a contractually guaranteed floor of 3% for the claim interest rate. Significant interest rate declines could significantly increase the Company’s net liabilities for guaranteed minimum income benefit contracts because of increased exposures.

New accounting pronouncements or guidance could require CIGNA to change the way in which it accounts for operations.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other regulatory bodies may issue new accounting standards or pronouncements, or changes in the interpretation of existing standards or pronouncements, from time to time, which could have a significant effect on CIGNA’s reported results.

CIGNA faces risks related to litigation and regulatory investigations.

CIGNA is routinely involved in numerous claims, lawsuits, regulatory audits, investigations and other legal matters arising in the ordinary course of the business of administering and insuring employee benefit programs. Such legal matters include benefit claims, breach of contract actions, tort claims, and disputes regarding reinsurance arrangements. In addition, CIGNA incurs and likely will continue to incur liability for claims related to its health care business, such as failure to pay for or provide health care, poor outcomes for care delivered or arranged, provider disputes, including disputes over compensation, and claims related to self-funded business. Also, there are currently, and may be in the future, attempts to bring class action lawsuits against the industry.

Court decisions and legislative activity may increase CIGNA’s exposure for any of these types of claims. In some cases, substantial non-economic or punitive damages may be sought. CIGNA currently has insurance coverage for some of these potential liabilities. Other potential liabilities may not be covered by insurance, insurers may dispute coverage or the amount of insurance may not be sufficient to cover the entire damages awarded. In addition, certain types of damages, such as punitive damages, may not be covered by insurance, and insurance coverage for all or certain forms of liability may become unavailable or prohibitively expensive in the future.

A description of material legal actions and other legal matters in which CIGNA is currently involved is included under “Legal Proceedings” in Item 3 beginning on page 39, Note 22 to CIGNA’s Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on page 133 of this Form 10-K and “Regulation” in Section I beginning on page 24. The outcome of litigation and other legal matters is always uncertain, and outcomes that are not justified by the evidence or existing law can occur. CIGNA believes that it has valid defenses to the legal matters pending against it and is defending itself vigorously.

CIGNA’s business is subject to substantial government regulation, which, along with new regulation, could increase its costs of doing business and could adversely affect its profitability.

CIGNA’s business is regulated at the international, federal, state and local levels. The laws and rules governing CIGNA’s business and interpretations of those laws and rules are subject to frequent change. Broad latitude is given to the agencies administering those regulations. Existing or future laws and rules could force CIGNA to change how it does business, restrict revenue and enrollment growth, increase health care, technology and administrative costs including pension costs and capital requirements, take other actions such as changing its reserve levels with respect to certain reinsurance contracts, change business practices in disability payments and increase CIGNA’s liability in federal and state courts for coverage determinations, contract interpretation and other actions.

CIGNA must comply with the various regulations applicable to its business. In addition, CIGNA must obtain and maintain regulatory approvals to market many of its products, to increase prices for certain regulated products and to consummate some of its acquisitions and divestitures. Delays in obtaining or failure to obtain or maintain these approvals could reduce the Company’s revenue or increase its costs.

For further information on regulatory matters relating to CIGNA, see “Regulation” in Section I beginning on page 24 and “Legal Proceedings” in Item 3 beginning on page 39.

CIGNA operates a pharmacy benefit management business, which is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, in addition to those CIGNA faces with its health care business.

CIGNA’s pharmacy benefit management business is subject to federal and state regulation, including: the application of federal and state anti-remuneration laws; compliance requirements for pharmacy benefit manager fiduciaries under ERISA, including compliance with fiduciary obligations under ERISA in connection with the development and implementation of items such as formularies, preferred drug listings and therapeutic intervention programs, contracting network practices, specialty drug distribution and other transactions and potential liability regarding the use of patient-identifiable medical information; and federal and state laws and regulations related to the operation of Internet and mail-service pharmacies. Furthermore, a number of federal and state legislative proposals are being considered that could adversely affect a variety of pharmacy benefit industry practices, including without limitation, the receipt of rebates from pharmaceutical manufacturers, the regulation of the development and use of formularies, and legislation imposing additional rights to access drugs for individuals enrolled in managed care plans.

The Company’s pharmacy benefit management business would also be adversely affected by an inability to contract on favorable terms with pharmaceutical manufacturers and could suffer claims and reputational harm in connection with purported errors by CIGNA’s mail order or retail pharmacy businesses. Disruptions at any of the Company’s pharmacy business facilities due to failure of

technology or any other failure or disruption to these systems or to the infrastructure due to fire, electrical outage, natural disaster, acts of terrorism or some other catastrophic event could reduce CIGNA’s ability to process and dispense prescriptions and provide products and services to customers.

CIGNA faces competitive pressure, particularly price competition, which could result in premiums which are insufficient to cover the cost of the healthcare services delivered to its members and inadequate medical claims reserves.

While health plans compete on the basis of many factors, including service quality of clinical resources, claims administration services and medical management programs, and quality and sufficiency of provider networks, CIGNA expects that price will continue to be a significant basis of competition. CIGNA’s customer contracts are subject to negotiation as customers seek to contain their costs, and customers may elect to reduce benefits in order to constrain increases in their benefit costs. Such an election may result in lower premiums for the Company’s products, although it may also reduce CIGNA’s costs. Alternatively, the Company’s customers may purchase different types of products that are less profitable, or move to a competitor to obtain more favorable premiums.

In addition, significant merger and acquisition activity has occurred in the health care industry giving rise to speculation and uncertainty regarding the status of companies, which potentially can affect marketing efforts and public perception. Consolidation may make it more difficult for the Company to retain or increase customers, to improve the terms on which CIGNA does business with its suppliers, or to maintain its position or increase profitability. Factors such as business consolidations, strategic alliances, legislative reform and marketing practices create pressure to contain premium price increases, despite increasing medical costs. For example, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act gives banks and other financial institutions the ability to affiliate with insurance companies, which may lead to new competitors with significant financial resources in the insurance and health benefits fields.

If CIGNA does not compete effectively in its markets, if the Company sets rates too high in highly competitive markets to keep or increase its market share, if membership does not increase as it expects, or if it declines, or if CIGNA loses accounts with favorable medical cost experience while retaining or increasing membership in accounts with unfavorable medical cost experience, CIGNA’s product margins and growth could be adversely affected.

CIGNA’s profitability depends, in part, on its ability to accurately predict and control future health care costs through underwriting criteria, provider contracting, utilization management and product design. Premiums in the health care business are generally fixed for one-year periods. Accordingly, future cost increases in excess of medical cost projections reflected in pricing cannot generally be recovered in the contract year through higher premiums. Although CIGNA bases the premiums it charges on its estimate of future health care costs over the fixed premium period, actual costs may exceed what was estimated and reflected in premiums. Factors that may cause actual costs to exceed premiums include: medical cost inflation; higher than expected utilization of medical services; the introduction of new or costly treatments and technology; and membership mix.

CIGNA records medical claims reserves for estimated future payments. The Company continually reviews estimates of future payments relating to medical claims costs for services incurred in the current and prior periods and makes necessary adjustments to its reserves. However, actual health care costs may exceed what was estimated.

Public perception of CIGNA’s products and practices as well as of the health benefits industry, if negative, could reduce enrollment in CIGNA’s health benefits programs.

The health care industry in general, and CIGNA specifically, are subject to negative publicity, which can arise either from perceptions regarding the industry or CIGNA’s business practices or products. This risk may be increased as CIGNA offers new products, such as products with limited benefits or an integrated line of products, targeted at market segments, beyond those in which CIGNA traditionally has operated. Negative publicity may adversely affect the CIGNA brand and its ability to market its products and services, which could reduce the number of enrollees in CIGNA’s health benefits programs.

Large-scale public health epidemics, bio-terrorist activity, natural disasters or other extreme events could cause CIGNA’s covered medical and disability expenses, pharmacy costs and mortality experience to rise significantly, and in severe circumstances, could cause operational disruption.

If widespread public health epidemics such as an influenza pandemic, bio-terrorist or other attack, or catastrophic natural disaster were to occur, CIGNA’s covered medical and disability expenses, pharmacy costs and mortality experience could rise significantly, depending on the government’s actions and the responsiveness of public health agencies and insurers. In addition, depending on the severity of the situation, a widespread outbreak could curtail economic activity in general, and CIGNA’s operations in particular,

which could result in operational and financial disruption to CIGNA. Such disruption could, among other things impact the timeliness of claims and revenue.

CIGNA’s business depends on the uninterrupted operation of its systems and business functions, including information technology and other business systems.

CIGNA’s business is highly dependent upon its ability to perform, in an efficient and uninterrupted fashion, its necessary business functions, such as: claims processing and payment; internet support and customer call centers; and the processing of new and renewal business. A power outage, pandemic, or failure of one or more of information technology, telecommunications or other systems could cause slower system response times resulting in claims not being processed as quickly as clients desire, decreased levels of client service and client satisfaction, and harm to CIGNA’s reputation. In addition, because CIGNA’s information technology and telecommunications systems interface with and depend on third party systems, CIGNA could experience service denials if demand for such service exceeds capacity or a third party system fails or experiences an interruption. If sustained or repeated, such a business interruption, systems failure or service denial could result in a deterioration of CIGNA’s ability to pay claims in a timely manner, provide customer service, write and process new and renewal business, or perform other necessary corporate functions. This could result in a materially adverse effect on CIGNA’s business results and liquidity.

A security breach of CIGNA’s computer systems could also interrupt or damage CIGNA’s operations or harm CIGNA’s reputation. In addition, CIGNA could be subject to liability if sensitive customer information is misappropriated from CIGNA’s computer systems. These systems may be vulnerable to physical break-ins, computer viruses, programming errors, attacks by third parties or similar disruptive problems. Any publicized compromise of security could result in a loss of customers or a reduction in the growth of customers, increased operating expenses, financial losses, additional litigation or other claims, which could have a material adverse effect on CIGNA’s business.

CIGNA is focused on further developing its business continuity program to address the continuation of core business operations. While CIGNA continues to test and assess its business continuity program to satisfy the needs of CIGNA’s core business operations and addresses multiple business interruption events, there is no assurance that core business operations could be performed upon the occurrence of such an event.

CIGNA’s business may be adversely impacted by global market, economic and geopolitical conditions that may cause fluctuations in equity market prices, interest rates and credit spreads which could reduce the Company’s ability to raise or deploy capital as well as affect the Company’s overall liquidity.

The capital markets and credit market have been experiencing volatility and disruption. In recent months, the volatility and disruption has reached unusual levels. In some cases, the markets have produced downward pressure on stock prices and credit capacity for certain issuers without regard to those issuers’ underlying financial strength. If current levels of market disruption and volatility continue or worsen, they may adversely impact the Company’s availability and cost of credit in the future. In addition, continued unpredictable or unstable market conditions may result in reduced opportunities to find suitable opportunities to raise capital.

CIGNA is subject to potential changes in the political environment, which could adversely affect the markets for its products.

Policy changes on the local, state and federal level, such as the expansion of the government’s role in the health care arena, could fundamentally change the dynamics of CIGNA’s industry, such as a much larger role of the government in the health care arena. For example, a broad based public sector alternative providing comprehensive health benefits could materially reduce the number of private sector members and exacerbate existing competitive and economic pressures. While private healthcare plans may be solicited to provide administrative services to an expanded national public plan, this business opportunity may be less profitable and favor larger and lower cost competitors.

CIGNA faces risks in successfully managing the integration of Great-West Healthcare (or any other acquisition).

CIGNA acquired Great-West Healthcare with the expectation that the acquisition will result in various benefits, including, among others, a broader distribution and provider network in certain geographic areas, an expanded range of health benefits and products, cost savings, increased profitability of the acquired business by improving its total medical cost position, and achievement of operating efficiencies. Achieving the anticipated benefits of the acquisition is subject to a number of uncertainties, including whether CIGNA integrates Great-West Healthcare in an efficient and effective manner, and general competitive factors in the marketplace.

Failure to achieve these anticipated benefits could limit CIGNA’s ability to grow membership, particularly in the small business segment, result in increased costs, decreases in the amount of expected revenues and diversion of management’s time and energy.

CIGNA faces intense competition to attract and retain key people.

CIGNA would be adversely impacted if it failed to attract additional key people and retain current key people, as this could result in the inability to effectively execute the Company’s key initiatives and business strategy.

CIGNA would be adversely affected if its prevention, detection or control systems fail to detect and implement required changes to maintain regulatory compliance or prevent fraud.

Failure of CIGNA’s prevention, detection or control systems related to regulatory compliance and/or compliance with its internal policies, including data systems security and/or unethical conduct by managers and/or employees, could adversely affect its reputation and also expose us to litigation and other proceedings, fines and/or penalties. Federal and state governments have made investigating and prosecuting health care and other insurance fraud and abuse a priority. Fraud and abuse prohibitions encompass a wide range of activities, including kickbacks for referral of members, billing for unnecessary medical services, improper marketing, and violations of patient privacy rights. The regulations and contractual requirements applicable to us and other participants are complex and subject to change. Although the Company believes its compliance efforts are adequate, ongoing vigorous law enforcement and the highly technical regulatory scheme mean that its compliance efforts in this area will continue to require significant resources.

In addition, provider or member fraud that is not prevented or detected could impact its medical costs or those of its self-insured customers. Further during an economic downturn, CIGNA’s businesses, HealthCare, Group and Disability and International, may see increased fraudulent claims volume which may lead to additional cost because of an increase in disputed claims and litigation.

Executive Officers of the Registrant

     All officers are elected to serve for a one-year term or until their successors are elected. Principal occupations and employment during the past five years are listed below.

WILLIAM L. ATWELL, 58, President of CIGNA International beginning September 2008; Managing Director of Atwell and Associates, LLC from January 2006 until August 2008; and Executive Vice President of The Charles Schwab Corporation from August 2000 to December 2005.

MICHAEL W. BELL, 45, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of CIGNA beginning December 2002.

DAVID M. CORDANI, 43, President and Chief Operating Officer of CIGNA beginning June 2008; President, CIGNA HealthCare from July 2005 until June 2008; Senior Vice President, Customer Segments & Marketing, CIGNA HealthCare from July 2004 until July 2005; and Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, CIGNA HealthCare, from September 2002 until July 2004.

H. EDWARD HANWAY , 57, Chairman of CIGNA since December 2000; Chief Executive Officer of CIGNA since January 2000; and President and a Director of CIGNA since January 1999.

JOHN M. MURABITO, 50, Executive Vice President of CIGNA beginning August 2003, with responsibility for Human Resources and Services.

CAROL ANN PETREN, 56, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of CIGNA beginning May 2006, and Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of MCI from August 2003 until March 2006.

KAREN S. ROHAN, 46, P resident of CIGNA Group Insurance beginning November 2005; President of CIGNA Dental & Vision Care beginning April 2004; President of CIGNA Specialty Companies from November 2004 until November 2005; and Chief Underwriting Officer, CIGNA HealthCare from January 2003 until April 2004.

MICHAEL WOELLER, 56, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of CIGNA beginning October 2007; Vice Chairman and Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from April 2000 until October 2007.

PART II

Item 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

On April 1, 2008, the Company acquired the Healthcare division of Great-West Life and Annuity, Inc. For additional information, see the Health Care section of the Management’s Discussion and Analysis beginning on page 54.

In 2008, the Company recorded significant charges related to the guaranteed minimum income benefits and guaranteed minimum death benefits businesses. For additional information, see the Run-off Reinsurance section of the Management’s Discussion and Analysis beginning on page 62.

In 2008, the Company recorded an after-tax litigation charge of $52 million in Corporate related to the CIGNA pension plan. See Note 22 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Effective January 1, 2007, CIGNA changed its presentation to report the results of the Run-off Retirement business within Other Operations. Prior period results have been restated to conform to this presentation.

During 2007, CIGNA completed a three-for-one stock split of CIGNA’s common shares. Per share figures have been adjusted to reflect the stock split.

Pro forma common shares outstanding, calculated as if the stock split had occurred at the beginning of the prior periods, were as follows: 295,963 in 2006; 363,573 in 2005; and 396,021 in 2004.

Item 7.   MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

INTRODUCTION

In this filing and in other marketplace communications, CIGNA Corporation and its subsidiaries (the Company) make certain forward-looking statements relating to the Company’s financial condition and results of operations, as well as to trends and assumptions that may affect the Company. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified through the use of predictive words (e.g., “Outlook for 2009”). Actual results may differ from the Company’s predictions. Some factors that could cause results to differ are discussed throughout Management’s Discussion and Analysis (MD&A), including in the Cautionary Statement beginning on page 78. The forward-looking statements contained in this filing represent management’s current estimate as of the date of this filing. Management does not assume any obligation to update these estimates.

Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to the presentation of 2008 amounts.

Overview

The Company constitutes one of the largest investor-owned health service organizations in the United States. Its subsidiaries are major providers of health care and related benefits, the majority of which are offered through the workplace. In addition, the Company has an international operation that offers life, accident and supplemental health insurance products as well as international health care products and services to businesses and individuals in selected markets. The Company also has certain inactive businesses, including a Run-off Reinsurance segment.

Ongoing Operations

The Company generates revenues, net income and cash flow from ongoing operations by:

•		maintaining and growing its customer base;
•		charging prices that reflect emerging experience;
•		investing available cash at attractive rates of return for appropriate durations; and
•		effectively managing other operating expenses.

The Company’s ability to increase revenue, net income and operating cash flow is directly related to its ability to address broad economic and industry factors and execute its strategic initiatives, the success of which is measured by certain key factors as discussed below.

Key factors affecting the Company’s results from ongoing operations include:

•		the ability to profitably price products and services at competitive levels;
•		the volume of customers served and the mix of products and services purchased by those customers;
•		the ability to cross sell its various health and related benefit products;
•		the relationship between other operating expenses and revenue; and
•		the effectiveness of the Company’s capital deployment initiatives.

Run-off Operations

Effectively managing the various exposures of its run-off operations is important to the Company’s ongoing profitability, operating cash flows and available capital. The results are influenced by a range of economic factors, especially movements in equity markets and interest rates. Results are also influenced by behavioral factors, including partial surrender election rates for GMDB contracts and annuity election rates for GMIB contracts, as well as the collection of amounts recoverable from retrocessionaires. In order to manage these risks, the Company operates a GMDB equity hedge program to substantially reduce the impact of equity market movements. The Company actively monitors the performance of the hedge program, and evaluates the cost/benefit of hedging other risks. The Company also actively studies policyholder behavior experience and adjusts future expectations based on the results of the studies, as warranted. We also perform regular audits of the ceding companies to ensure treaty compliance that premiums received and claims paid are properly reflective of the underlying risks and to maximize the probability of subsequent collection of claims from retrocessionaires. Finally, the Company monitors the credit standing of the retrocessionaires.

Summary

The Company’s overall results are influenced by a range of economic and other factors, especially:

•		cost trends and inflation for medical and related services;
•		utilization patterns of medical and other services;
•		employment levels;
•		the tort liability system;
•		developments in the political environment both domestically and internationally;
•		interest rates, equity market returns, foreign currency fluctuations and credit market volatility, including the availability and cost of credit in the future; and
•		federal and state regulation.

The Company regularly monitors the trends impacting operating results from the above mentioned key factors and economic and other factors affecting its operations. The Company develops strategic and tactical plans designed to improve performance and maximize its competitive position in the markets it serves. The Company’s ability to achieve its financial objectives is dependent upon its ability to effectively execute these plans and to appropriately respond to emerging economic and company-specific trends.

The Company is continuing to improve the performance of and profitably grow its ongoing businesses and manage the risks associated with the run-off reinsurance operations.

Acquisition of Great-West Healthcare

On April 1, 2008, the Company acquired the Healthcare division of Great-West Life and Annuity, Inc. (“Great-West Healthcare” or the “acquired business”) through 100% indemnity reinsurance agreements and the acquisition of certain affiliates and other assets and liabilities of Great-West Healthcare. The purchase price was approximately $1.5 billion and consisted of a payment to the seller of approximately $1.4 billion for the net assets acquired and the assumption of net liabilities under the reinsurance agreement of approximately $0.1 billion. Great-West Healthcare primarily sells medical plans on a self-funded basis with stop-loss coverage to select and regional employer groups. Great-West Healthcare’s offerings also include the following specialty products: stop-loss, life, disability, medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance. The acquisition, which was accounted for as a purchase, was financed through a combination of cash and the issuance of both short and long-term debt.

See Note 3 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information .

Initiatives to Lower Operating Expenses

The Company has undertaken several initiatives to realign its organization and consolidate support functions in an effort to increase efficiency and responsiveness to customers and to reduce costs.

In 2008, the Company conducted a comprehensive review of its ongoing businesses with an emphasis on reducing operating expenses in the Health Care segment. As a result of the review, during the fourth quarter of 2008, the Company committed to a plan to reduce operating costs in order to meet the challenges and opportunities presented by the current economic environment. The Company anticipates the plan will be substantially complete by the end of 2009. As a result, the Company recognized in other operating expenses a total charge of $55 million pre-tax ($35 million after-tax), which included $44 million pre-tax ($28 million after-tax) for severance and other related costs resulting from reductions of approximately 1,100 positions in its workforce and $11 million pre-tax ($7 million after-tax) resulting from consolidation of facilities. The Company expects to pay $53 million in cash related to this charge, most of which will occur in 2009. The Health Care segment reported $44 million pre-tax ($27 million after-tax) of the total charge. The remainder was reported as follows: Disability and Life: $3 million pre-tax ($2 million after-tax), and International: $8 million pre-tax ($6 million after-tax). As a result of these actions, the Company expects annualized after-tax savings of approximately $70 million, a portion of which is expected to be realized in 2009.

CONSOLIDATED RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Special items for 2008 included a cost reduction charge (see the Introduction section of the MD&A beginning on page 43), a litigation matter related to the CIGNA Pension Plan (see Note 22 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information) reported in Corporate and charges related to certain other litigation matters, which are reported in the Health Care segment.

The special item for 2007 consisted of previously unrecognized tax benefits resulting from the completion of the IRS examination for the 2003 and 2004 tax years.

Special items for 2006 consisted of:

•		a charge associated with the settlement of the shareholder class action lawsuit brought against the Company. This charge included certain costs to defend and was net of expected insurance recoveries; and
•		a charge for severance costs resulting from a review of staffing levels in the Health Care operations and in supporting areas.

Overview of 2008 Consolidated Results of Operations

Income from continuing operations for the year ended December 31, 2008 declined significantly compared with 2007, as a result of the following:

•		The Run-off Reinsurance segment reported substantial losses in 2008, primarily due to losses in the guaranteed minimum income benefits (GMIB) and guaranteed minimum death benefits (GMDB) businesses, reflecting the deterioration in the financial markets and also, for GMIB, the effect of adopting Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. (SFAS No.) 157. See the Run-off Reinsurance section of the MD&A beginning on page 62 for additional information.
•		The Company reported significant net realized investment losses in 2008 primarily due to impairments caused largely by the deterioration in the financial markets. These losses were partially offset by gains on the sale of real estate. See the Investment Assets section of the MD&A beginning on page 73 for more information.
•		The Company’s results in 2008 were also negatively affected by the special charges for litigation and cost reduction matters discussed beginning on page 46.

These factors were partially offset by higher segment earnings in each of the Company’s ongoing operating segments (Health Care, Disability and Life, and International).

Overview of 2007 Consolidated Results of Operations

Excluding the special items discussed above, income from continuing operations decreased in 2007, compared with 2006, principally reflecting lower realized investment gains primarily due to lower gains from sales of equity interests in real estate limited liability entities of $145 million.

These factors were partially offset by higher earnings in the Health Care (see page 54), Disability and Life (see page 59), International (see page 60) and Run-off Reinsurance (see page 62) segments.

Outlook for 2009

The Company expects 2009 income from continuing operations, excluding realized investments results, the results of the GMIB business, and special items, to be higher than 2008 due to overall earnings growth in the ongoing operating segments, as well as lower losses in the Run-off Reinsurance segment. This outlook includes an assumption that results of the GMDB business will be approximately break-even for full-year 2009. This assumption reflects management’s view that the long-term reserve assumptions are appropriate and that equity market conditions and volatility will return to more normal levels in 2009. The Company’s outlook is subject to the factors cited in the Cautionary Statement and the sensitivities discussed in the Critical Accounting Estimates section of the MD&A on pages 49 through 53. If the unfavorable equity market and interest rate movements continue, the Company could experience additional losses related to the GMDB business.

Information is not available for management to reasonably estimate the future results of the GMIB business, realized investment gains (losses), or to identify or reasonably estimate special items in 2009. However, if unfavorable equity market and interest rate movements continue, the Company could also experience additional losses related to the GMIB business and investment impairments. Potential losses related to the GMDB and GMIB businesses, as well as investment impairments, could adversely impact the Company’s consolidated results of operations and financial condition, and could reduce the capital of the Company’s insurance subsidiaries as well as their dividend paying capabilities.

Revenues

Total revenue increased by 8% in 2008, compared with 2007; and 7% in 2007 compared with 2006. Changes in the components of total revenue are described more fully below.

Premiums and Fees

Premiums and fees increased by 8% in 2008, compared with 2007 reflecting the impact of the acquired business, growth in the Disability and Life segment, as well as growth and rate increases in the International segment. See segment reporting discussions for additional detail and drivers.

Premiums and fees increased 10% in 2007, compared with 2006, primarily attributable to higher specialty revenues and growth in medical membership as well as strong renewal pricing on existing business in the Health Care segment and strong business growth in the Disability and Life and International segments.

Net Investment Income

Net investment income decreased 5% in 2008, compared with 2007 primarily due to lower yields driven by declines in short-term interest rates, commercial mortgage pre-payment fees, and income from security partnerships.

Net investment income decreased 7% in 2007. This decrease was primarily attributable to lower average assets due to share repurchase activity and a decline in the Health Care segment average invested assets resulting from:

•		a shift in business from guaranteed cost products to administrative services only (ASO) products; and
•		pre-funding of Medicare Part D claims.

Mail Order Pharmacy Revenues

Mail order pharmacy revenues increased 8% in 2008, compared with 2007 due to increased script volume and rate increases.

Mail order pharmacy revenues in 2007 were comparable to 2006.

Other Revenues

Excluding the impact of the futures contracts associated with the GMDB equity hedge program, Other revenues increased 17% in 2008, compared with 2007, primarily reflecting the impact of the acquired business. In 2008, the Company reported gains of $333 million associated with the GMDB equity hedge program, compared with losses of $32 million in 2007. The gains in 2008 primarily reflect the decline in stock market values.

Excluding the impact of the GMDB equity hedge program, Other revenues decreased 10% in 2007, compared with 2006 primarily due to lower revenues from the disability and workers compensation case management business reported in the Disability and Life segment. The Company reported losses on futures contracts associated with the GMDB equity hedge program of $32 million in 2007, compared with losses of $96 million in 2006. The decline in losses in 2007 primarily reflects lower stock market appreciation compared with 2006.

Realized Investment Results

Realized investment results in 2008 were lower than 2007, primarily due to higher losses associated with asset write-downs and increases in valuation allowances primarily due to higher interest rates and credit losses resulting from current economic conditions. In addition, the Company had higher losses on sales of fixed maturities and equity securities. These losses were partially offset by higher gains on sales of real estate investments held in joint ventures. See Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

Realized investment gains (losses) were lower in 2007, compared with 2006, primarily due to sales of equity interests in real estate limited liability entities in 2006.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts and related disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Management considers an accounting estimate to be critical if:

•		it requires assumptions to be made that were uncertain at the time the estimate was made; and
•		changes in the estimate or different estimates that could have been selected could have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations or financial condition.

Management has discussed the development and selection of its critical accounting estimates with the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors and the Audit Committee has reviewed the disclosures presented below.

In addition to the estimates presented in the following table, there are other accounting estimates used in the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements, including estimates of liabilities for future policy benefits other than those identified in the following table, as well as estimates with respect to goodwill, unpaid claims and claim expenses, postemployment and postretirement benefits other than pensions, certain compensation accruals, and income taxes.

Management believes the current assumptions used to estimate amounts reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements are appropriate. However, if actual experience differs from the assumptions used in estimating amounts reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements, the resulting changes could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations, and in certain situations, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s liquidity and financial condition.

See Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information on significant accounting policies that impact the Company.

Balance Sheet Caption /		Assumptions / Approach Used		Effect if Different Assumptions Used
Nature of Critical Accounting Estimate
During 2007, the Company increased its assumption related to annuity election rates and decreased its lapse assumption resulting in a charge (net of reinsurance) of $86 million pre-tax ($56 million after-tax). Liabilities related to these contracts as of December 31, were as follows (in millions): •      2008 – $1,757 •     2007 – $313 As of December 31, estimated amounts receivable related to these contracts from two external reinsurers, were as follows (in millions): •      2008 – $953 •     2007 – $173		The second group of assumptions consists of future annuitant behavior including annuity election rates, lapse, and mortality, retrocessionaire credit risk, and a risk and profit charge. Annuity election rates refer to the proportion of annuitants who elect to receive their income benefit as an annuity. Lapse refers to the full surrender of an annuity prior to annuitization of the policy. Credit risk refers to the ability of these reinsurers to pay. Risk and profit charge refers to the amount that a hypothetical market participant would include in the valuation to cover the uncertainty of outcomes and the desired return on capital.		•     10% decrease in mortality – $3 million •     10% increase in annuity election rates – $5 million •     10% decrease in lapse rates – $10 million •     10% decrease in amounts receivable from reinsurers (credit risk) – $60 million •     10% increase to the risk and profit charge – $5 million Market declines which reduce annuitants’ account values expose the Company to higher potential claims which results in a larger net liability. If annuitants’ account values as of December 31, 2008 declined by 10% due to the performance of the underlying mutual funds, the approximate after-tax decrease in net income, net of estimated amounts receivable from reinsurers, would be approximately $25 million. All of these estimated impacts due to unfavorable changes in assumptions could vary from quarter to quarter depending on actual reserve levels, the actual market conditions or changes in the anticipated view of a hypothetical market participant as of any future valuation date. The amounts would be reflected in the Run-off Reinsurance segment.
Reinsurance recoverables – Reinsurance recoverables in Run-off Reinsurance Collectibility of reinsurance recoverables requires an assessment of risks that such amounts will not be collected, including risks associated with reinsurer default and disputes with reinsurers regarding applicable coverage. Gross and net reinsurance recoverables in the Run-off Reinsurance segment as of December 31, were as follows (in millions): •      2008 – gross $180; net $169 •     2007 – gross $203; net $191		The amount of reinsurance recoverables in the Run-off Reinsurance segment, net of reserves, represents management’s best estimate of recoverability, including an assessment of the financial strength of reinsurers.		A 10% reduction of net reinsurance recoverables due to uncollectibility at December 31, 2008, would reduce net income by approximately $11 million after-tax. The amounts would be reflected in the Run-off Reinsurance segment. See Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities—pension liabilities These liabilities are estimates of the present value of the qualified and nonqualified pension benefits to be paid (attributed to employee service to date) net of the fair value of plan assets. The accrued pension benefit liability as of December 31 was as follows (in millions):		The Company estimates these liabilities with actuarial models using various assumptions including discount rates and an expected long-term return on plan assets. Discount rates are set by applying actual annualized yields at various durations from the Citigroup Pension Liability curve, without adjustment, to the expected cash flows of the pension liabilities. The expected long-term return on plan assets for the domestic qualified pension plan is developed considering actual historical returns, expected long-term market conditions, plan asset mix and management’s investment strategy. In addition, to measure pension costs the Company uses a market-related asset value method for domestic qualified pension plan assets invested in non-fixed income investments, which are approximately 80% of total plan assets. This method recognizes the difference between actual and expected returns in the non-fixed income portfolio over 5 years, a method that reduces the short-term impact of market fluctuations on pension cost.		Using past experience, the Company expects that it is reasonably possible that a favorable or unfavorable change in these key assumptions of 50 basis points could occur. An unfavorable change is a decrease in these key assumptions with resulting impacts as discussed below. If discount rates for the qualified and nonqualified pension plans decreased by 50 basis points:
•      2008 – $1,853 •     2007 – $628 See Note 10 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.				•      annual pension costs for 2009 would increase by approximately $15 million, after-tax; and   •      the accrued pension benefit liability would increase by approximately $180 million as of December 31, 2008 resulting in an after-tax decrease to shareholders’ equity of approximately $120 million as of December 31, 2008. If the expected long-term return on domestic qualified pension plan assets decreased by 50 basis points, annual pension costs for 2009 would

Balance Sheet Caption /		Assumptions / Approach Used		Effect if Different Assumptions Used
Nature of Critical Accounting Estimate
		The significant decline in value of equity securities during 2008 has resulted in an accumulated unrecognized actuarial loss of $1.5 billion at December 31, 2008. The actuarial loss is adjusted for unrecognized changes in market-related asset values and amortized over the remaining service life of pension plan participants if the adjusted loss exceeds 10% of the market-related value of plan assets or 10% of the projected benefit obligation, whichever is greater. As of December 31, 2008, approximately $0.4 billion of the adjusted actuarial loss exceeded 10% of the projected benefit obligation. As a result, approximately $35 million after-tax will be expensed in 2009 net income. For the year ended December 31, 2008, $37 million after-tax was expensed in net income.		increase by approximately $10 million, after-tax. If the December 31, 2008 fair values of domestic qualified plan assets decreased by 10%, the accrued pension benefit liability would increase by approximately $225 million as of December 31, 2008 resulting in an after-tax decrease to shareholders’ equity of approximately $145 million. A favorable change is an increase in these key assumptions and would result in impacts to annual pension costs, the accrued pension liability and shareholders’ equity in an opposite direction, but similar amounts.
Investments – Fixed maturities Recognition of losses from “other than temporary” impairments of public and private placement fixed maturities Losses for “other than temporary” impairments of fixed maturities must be recognized in net income based on an estimate of fair value by management. Changes in fair value are reflected as an increase or decrease in shareholders’ equity. A decrease in fair value is recognized in net income when the decrease is determined to be “other than temporary.” Determining whether a decline in value is “other than temporary” includes an evaluation of the reasons for and the significance of the decrease in value of the security as well as the duration of the decrease.		Management estimates the amount of an “other than temporary” impairment when a decline in value is expected to persist, using quoted market prices for public securities with active markets and generally the present value of future cash flows for private placement bonds and other public securities. Expected future cash flows are based on historical experience of the issuer and management’s expectation of future performance. See “Quality Ratings” in the Investment Assets section of the MD&A beginning on page 73 for additional information. The Company recognized “other than temporary” impairments of investments in fixed maturities as follows (in millions, after-tax): •      2008 – $138 •     2007 – $20 •     2006 – $18 See Note 12(A) to the Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion of the Company’s review of declines in fair value.		For all fixed maturities with cost in excess of their fair value, if this excess was determined to be other-than-temporary, the Company’s net income for the year ended December 31, 2008 would have decreased by approximately $388 million after-tax. For private placement bonds considered impaired, a decrease of 10% of all expected future cash flows for the impaired bonds would reduce net income by approximately $1 million after-tax.

SEGMENT REPORTING

Operating segments generally reflect groups of related products, but the International segment is generally based on geography.  The Company measures the financial results of its segments using “segment earnings (loss),” which is defined as income (loss) from continuing operations excluding after-tax realized investment gains and losses.

Health Care Segment

Segment Description

The Health Care segment includes medical, dental, behavioral health, prescription drug and other products and services that may be integrated to provide consumers with comprehensive health care solutions.  This segment also includes group disability and life insurance products that were historically sold in connection with certain experience-rated medical products. These products and services are offered through a variety of funding arrangements such as guaranteed cost, retrospectively experience-rated and administrative services only arrangements.

The Company measures the operating effectiveness of the Health Care segment using the following key factors:

•		segment earnings;
•		membership growth;
•		sales of specialty products to core medical customers;
•		changes in operating expenses per member; and
•		medical expense as a percentage of premiums (medical cost ratio) in the guaranteed cost business.

The Health Care segment’s earnings in 2008, as compared with 2007, were favorably impacted by lower management incentive compensation expense of $21 million after-tax. In addition, the segment’s earnings include the after-tax impact of favorable prior year claim development of $7 million in 2008, $8 million in 2007 and $54 million in 2006. The amount of prior year claim development recorded in 2008 and 2007, compared with 2006, is lower because actual medical cost trends and completion factors were more in line with initial assumptions.

Excluding the special items for cost reduction and litigation charges as well as the items mentioned above, segment earnings increased in 2008 compared with 2007 due to:

•		earnings from the acquired business;
•		higher service fees due to membership growth and rate increases;

•		favorable specialty earnings due to increased sales to core medical customers as well as strong performance in the direct specialty
		business; and
•		improved Medicare Part D results due in part to increased membership.

These favorable effects were partially offset by:

•		lower membership and higher medical cost ratio in the guaranteed cost business;
•		lower medical margins in the experience-rated business; and
•		higher operating expenses reflecting spending on operational improvement initiatives, including segment expansion and investments in information technology, partially offset by expense reductions in certain areas, primarily service operations.

Excluding prior year claim development and the special items for cost reduction, segment earnings in 2007 increased over 2006 due to:

•		increased earnings from the specialty businesses;
•		margin improvements in the stop-loss product;
•		a lower medical cost ratio in the guaranteed cost business of 160 basis points due to strong renewal pricing increases in excess of medical cost trend; and
•		aggregate medical membership growth of approximately 800,000 members, including growth in the voluntary/limited benefits business.

These factors were partially offset by lower margins in the experience-rated business as well as lower net investment income due to lower average assets and lower yields.

Revenues

The table below shows premiums and fees for the Health Care segment:

(1) Premiums and/or fees associated with certain specialty products are also included.

(2) Includes premiums associated with other risk-related products, primarily network and PPO plans.

(3) Includes minimum premium members, who have a risk profile similar to experience-rated funding arrangements. The risk portion of minimum premium revenue is reported in experience-rated medical premium whereas the self funding portion of minimum premium revenue is recorded in fees. Also, includes certain non-participating cases for which special customer level reporting of experience is required.

(4) Other medical premiums include risk revenue for stop-loss and specialty products.

(5) Represents administrative service fees for medical members and related specialty product fees for non-medical members as well as fees related to Medicare Part D of $96 million in 2008, $61 million in 2007, and $27 million in 2006.

Premiums and fees increased by 9% in 2008, compared with 2007, primarily reflecting:

•		the impact of the acquired business;
•		increases in the experience-rated business due to rate increases;
•		higher other medical premiums due to increased sales to core medical customers and rate increases in specialty business; and
•		higher service fees due to increased membership and rate increases.

These factors were partially offset by a decrease in the guaranteed cost business which was due to membership declines largely in commercial HMO business partially offset by rate increases.

Premiums and fees increased 9% in 2007, compared with 2006, primarily reflecting:

•		strong renewal pricing on existing business, particularly in the guaranteed cost business;
•		higher Medicare Part D premiums of $111 million;
•		growth in specialty revenues; and
•		aggregate medical membership growth, including the voluntary/limited benefits business.

In addition, premiums and fees in 2007 reflect a change in the mix of products to more service-only products from guaranteed cost products.

Net investment income   decreased by 1% in 2008 compared with 2007 reflecting lower yields partially offset by higher average assets. Net investment income decreased by 23% in 2007 compared with 2006 reflecting primarily lower average assets and to a lesser extent lower yields.

Other revenues for the Health Care segment consist of revenues earned on direct channel sales of certain specialty products, including behavioral health and disease management.

Other revenues increased 27% in 2008 and 11% in 2007. In 2008, the increase primarily reflected the impact of the acquired business, while the increase in 2007 was primarily due to business growth.

Benefits and Expenses

Health Care segment benefits and expenses consist of the following:

Medical claims expense included favorable prior year claim development of approximately $11 million in 2008, $12 million in 2007 and $83 million in 2006. Medical claims expense increased 7% in 2008 compared with 2007 largely due to the impact of the acquired business.  In addition, medical trend was largely offset by lower risk membership. Excluding the prior year claim development, medical claims expense increased 10% in 2007 compared with 2006 primarily due to medical trend, increased Medicare Part D membership and the impact of the Star HRG operations.

Other operating expenses include expenses related to:

•		integration and operating costs associated with the acquired business;
•		both retail and mail order pharmacy;
•		disease management;
•		voluntary and limited benefits; and
•		Medicare claims administration businesses.

Excluding the items noted above, other operating expenses increased in 2008, compared with 2007, primarily reflecting higher spending on operational improvement initiatives, including segment expansion and investments in information technology. This increase was partially offset by lower management incentive compensation expenses in 2008, as well as productivity savings which were reflected in lower operating expenses per member due to the success of various expense reduction initiatives. Other operating expenses increased in 2007, compared with 2006, reflecting membership growth and higher spending on information technology, including market facing capabilities.

Other Items Affecting Health Care Results

Medical Membership

The Company’s medical membership includes any individual for whom the Company retains medical underwriting risk, who uses the Company’s network for services covered under their medical coverage or for whom the Company administers medical claims.  As of December 31, estimated medical membership was as follows:

(1) Includes membership associated with other risk-related products, primarily network and PPO plans.

(2) Includes minimum premium members, who have a risk profile similar to experience-rated funding arrangements.  The risk portion of minimum premium revenue is reported in experience-rated medical premium whereas the self funding portion of minimum premium revenue is recorded in fees. Also, includes certain non-participating cases for which special customer level reporting of experience is required.

(3) Represents members associated with the acquisition of Great-West Healthcare effective April 1, 2008.

Operational Improvement Initiatives

The Company is focused on several initiatives including developing and enhancing a customer focused service model.  This effort is expected to require significant investments over the next 3 to 5 years.  These investments are expected to enable the Company to grow its membership and to improve operational effectiveness and profitability by developing innovative products and services that promote customer engagement at a competitive cost.  Executing on these operational improvement initiatives is critical to attaining a leadership position in the health care marketplace.

The operational improvement initiatives currently underway are discussed below.

Reducing other operating expenses. The Company operates in an intensely competitive marketplace and its ability to establish a fully competitive cost advantage is key to achieving its initiatives. Accordingly, the Company is focused on reducing operating expenses in three key areas primarily to facilitate operating efficiency and responsiveness to customers. These three areas include: customer acquisition, which encompasses spending on sales, the account management process, underwriting and marketing; fulfillment, mainly claims processing and billing; and reducing overhead in various administrative and staffing functions. In connection with these efforts, in the fourth quarter of 2008, the Company completed a review of staffing levels and organization and announced a plan to reorganize its business model and supporting areas to more tightly align the ongoing operating segments. See the Introduction section to this MD&A for further discussion beginning on page 43. The Company expects to take additional actions during 2009 to further reduce operating expenses and improve its competitive cost position in the marketplace.

Maintaining and upgrading information technology systems.   The Company’s current business model and long-term strategy require effective and reliable information technology systems.  The Company’s current systems architecture will require continuing investment to meet the challenges of increasing customer demands from both our existing and emerging customer base to support its business growth and strategies, improve its competitive position and provide appropriate levels of service to customers.  The Company is focused on providing these enhanced strategic capabilities in response to increasing customer expectations, while continuing to provide a consistent, high quality customer service experience with respect to the Company’s current programs. Accordingly, in 2009, the Company’s efforts will be focused primarily on optimizing the technology underlying our claims processing and call servicing capabilities with specific emphasis on reducing handling time and improving customer service.   Continued integration of the Company’s multiple administrative and customer facing platforms is also required to support the Company’s growth strategies, and to ensure reliable, efficient and effective customer service both in today’s employer focused model as well as in a customer directed model.  The Company’s ability to effectively deploy capital to make these investments will influence the timing and the impact these initiatives will have on its operations.

Profitably growing medical membership. The Company continues to focus on growing its medical membership by:

•		increasing its share of the national, regional and select segments;
•		providing a diverse product portfolio that meets current market needs as well as emerging consumer-directed trends;
•		developing and implementing the systems, information technology and infrastructure to deliver member service that keeps pace with the emerging consumer-directed market trends;
•		ensuring competitive provider networks;
•		maintaining a strong clinical quality in medical, specialty health care and disability management; and
•		increasing specialty penetration.

The Company is also focused on segment and product expansion. In segments, our focus is predominantly in the “Select” (employers with 51-250), small business (employers with 2-50) and individual segments. We also expect to expand our voluntary capabilities and to focus on health as well as pharmacy and dental.  As part of its effort to achieve these objectives, the Company completed the acquisition of Great-West Healthcare of Denver, Colorado on April 1, 2008. Also, our Star HRG acquisition serves as our platform to further develop our voluntary portfolio. These acquisitions will enable the Company to broaden its distribution reach and provider network, particularly in the western regions of the United States, and expand the range of health benefits and product offerings. Additionally, the Company has recently developed new product offerings for both our guaranteed cost and experienced rated portfolios. Driving additional cross selling is also key to our value proposition. We are expanding network access for our dental product and improving network flexibility to ensure better alignment with our customers’ needs. Also, with the acquisition of Great-West Healthcare, we will be working in 2009 to transition this book to CIGNA pharmacy and increase penetration across the entire book.

Offering products that meet emerging customer and market trends. In order to meet emerging customer and market trends, the Company’s suite of products (CIGNATURE ^® , CareAllies ^® , and CIGNA Choice Fund ^® ) offers various options to customers and employers and is key to our customer engagement strategy.  Offerings include: choice of benefit, participating provider network, funding, medical management, and health advocacy options.  Through the CIGNA Choice Fund ^® , the Company offers a set of customer-directed capabilities that includes options for health reimbursement arrangements and/or health savings accounts and enables customers to make effective health decisions using information tools provided by the Company.

Underwriting and pricing products effectively.   One of the Company’s key priorities is to achieve strong profitability in a competitive health care market.  The Company is focused on effectively managing pricing and underwriting decisions at both the case and overall book of business level, particularly for the guaranteed cost and experience-rated businesses.

Effectively managing medical costs.   The Company operates under a centralized medical management model, which helps facilitate consistent levels of care for its members and reduces infrastructure expenses.

The Company is focused on continuing to effectively manage medical utilization and unit costs. The Company believes that by increasing the quality of medical care and improving access to care we can drive reductions in total medical cost.  To help achieve this, the Company continues to focus on renegotiating contracts with providers and certain facilities to limit increases in medical reimbursement costs.  In addition, the Company seeks to strengthen its network position in selected markets. In connection with the Great-West Healthcare acquisition in April 2008, the Company is converting and integrating these acquired members to its extensive preferred provider network which offers access to a broad range of utilization review and case management services. By directing members to the highest quality and most efficient network providers and leveraging their clinical engagement protocols we are realizing benefits from the increased utilization.

Delivering quality member and provider service.   The Company is focused on delivering competitive service to members, providers and customers. The Company believes that further enhancing quality service can improve member retention and, when combined with useful health information and tools, can help motivate members to become more engaged in their personal health, and will help promote healthy outcomes thereby removing cost from the system.  The evolution of the consumer-driven healthcare market is driving increased product and service complexity and is raising customers’ expectations with respect to service levels, which is expected to require significant investment, management attention and heightened interaction with customers.

The Company is focused on the development and enhancement of a service model that is capable of meeting the challenges brought on by the increasing product and service complexity and the heightened expectations of health care customers.  The Company continues to make significant investments in the development and implementation of systems and technology to improve the member and provider service experience, enhance its capabilities and improve its competitive position.

The Company’s health advocacy capabilities support its recent membership growth efforts.  The Company must be able to deliver those capabilities efficiently and cost-effectively.  The Company continues to identify additional cost savings to further improve its competitive cost position.  Savings generated from the Company’s operating efficiency initiatives provide capital to make investments that will enhance its capabilities in the areas of customer engagement, particularly product development, the delivery of member service and health advocacy and related technology.

Disability and Life Segment

Segment Description

The Disability and Life segment includes group disability, life, accident and specialty insurance and case management for disability and workers’ compensation.

Key factors for this segment are:

•		premium growth, including new business and customer retention;
•		net investment income;
•		benefits expense as a percentage of earned premium (loss ratio); and
•		other operating expense as a percentage of earned premiums and fees (expense ratio).

Segment earnings in 2008 include the favorable after-tax impact of reserve studies and a favorable reinsurance settlement which aggregated to $19 million, partially offset by a special item for a cost reduction charge of $2 million. Segment earnings in 2007 include the favorable after-tax impact of reserve studies of $12 million and a special item of $6 million of previously unrecognized tax benefits resulting from the completion of the IRS examination for the 2003 and 2004 tax years. Segment earnings in 2006 include the favorable after-tax impact of reserve studies of $28 million, partially offset by severance charges of $6 million.  Excluding the impact

of the items noted above, segment earnings increased 8% in 2008, compared with 2007 reflecting:

•		favorable claims experience in the specialty insurance business;
•		a lower expense ratio driven by effective operating expense management and lower management incentive compensation; and
•		higher premiums and fees in the disability, life and accident businesses due to business growth.

These factors were partially offset by less favorable claims experience in the life and accident businesses and lower net investment income primarily due to lower average yields.

Excluding the impact of reserve studies and the items noted above, segment earnings increased 16% in 2007, compared with 2006 reflecting:

•		continued strong disability claims management results;
•		higher net investment income due to higher average assets and yields;
•		favorable claims experience in the accident, group universal life and specialty businesses;
•		a lower expense ratio driven by effective operating expense management; and
•		strong earned premium growth.

Revenues

Premiums and fees increased 8% in 2008 and 13% in 2007 reflecting new sales growth in the disability, life and accident lines of business and strong customer retention.

Benefits and Expenses

Excluding the pre-tax impact of the reserve studies, reinsurance settlement and cost reduction charge noted above, benefits and expenses increased 5% in 2008 compared with 2007, reflecting overall business growth, partially offset by favorable claims experience in the disability and specialty businesses tempered by less favorable claims experience in the life and accident businesses. In addition, lower expenses were driven by continued focus on operating expense management, lower disability and workers’ compensation case management expenses and lower management incentive compensation expenses.

Excluding the pre-tax impact of the reserve studies and severance charge noted above, benefits and expenses increased 9% in 2007 compared with 2006, reflecting overall business growth, continued strong disability claims management and unfavorable life claims experience largely offset by favorable accident and specialty claims experience. In addition, lower expenses were driven by continued focus on operating expense management and lower disability and workers’ compensation case management expenses.

International Segment

Segment Description

The International segment includes life, accident and supplemental health insurance products and international health care products and services, including those offered to expatriate employees of multinational corporations.

The key factors for this segment are:

•		premium growth, including new business and customer retention;
•		benefits expense as a percentage of earned premium (loss ratio); and
•		operating expense as a percentage of earned premium (expense ratio).

Excluding the special items noted in the table above, International segment earnings increased 8% in 2008, compared with 2007, and 26% in 2007 compared with 2006, primarily due to continued growth in the life, accident and supplemental health insurance business and the expatriate employee benefits business, as well as continued competitively strong margins. Earnings growth in 2008 was partially offset by unfavorable currency movements, primarily in South Korea. International segment earnings, excluding the impact of foreign currency movements and the special items noted in the table above, increased 16% in 2008, compared with 2007, and 23% in 2007 compared with 2006. The impact of foreign currency movements is calculated by comparing the reported results to what the results would have been had the monthly average exchange rates remained constant with the prior year’s comparable period exchange rates.

Revenues

Premiums and fees.   The increase in premiums and fees of 4% in 2008, compared with 2007, and 18% in 2007 compared with 2006, was primarily attributable to new sales growth in the life, accident and supplemental health insurance operations, particularly in Taiwan and South Korea, and membership growth in the expatriate employee benefits business. These increases also continue to reflect rate adjustments on the renewal of existing business. Premium growth in 2008 was partially offset by unfavorable foreign currency movements in South Korea.  

Premiums and fees, excluding the effect of foreign currency movements, were (in millions): $1,971 in 2008, $1,745 in 2007 and $1,494 in 2006.

Benefits and Expenses

Benefits and expenses increased 4% in 2008, compared with 2007 and 16% in 2007 compared with 2006, primarily due to business growth in all lines of business, partially offset by foreign currency movements, primarily in South Korea.  

Loss ratios decreased in 2008 and 2007 in the life, accident and supplemental health business due to favorable claims experience and a shift away from traditional life products toward accident and health products. In the expatriate business, loss ratios decreased slightly in 2008 and increased slightly in 2007 due to claims volatility.

Expense ratios increased slightly in 2008 in the life, accident and supplemental health business and the expatriate benefits business as a result of higher expenses to support growth initiatives and expansion. Expense ratios in the life, accident and health and expatriate benefits businesses continue to be strong due to effective expense management.

Other Items Affecting International Results

For the   Company’s International segment, South Korea is the single largest geographic market. South Korea generated 29% of the segment’s revenues and 39% of the segment’s earnings in 2008.  Due to the concentration of business in South Korea, the International segment is exposed to potential losses resulting from economic and geopolitical developments in that country, as well as

foreign currency movements affecting the South Korean currency, which could have a significant impact on the segment’s results and the Company’s consolidated financial results.

Run-off Reinsurance Segment

Segment Description

The Company’s reinsurance operations were discontinued and are now an inactive business in run-off mode since the sale of the U.S. individual life, group life and accidental death reinsurance business in 2000. This segment is predominantly comprised of guaranteed minimum death benefit (GMDB, also known as VADBe), guaranteed minimum income benefit (GMIB), workers’ compensation and personal accident reinsurance products.

The determination of liabilities for GMDB and GMIB requires the Company to make critical accounting estimates.  The Company has updated the assumptions for GMIB and the effects of hypothetical changes in those assumptions in connection with the implementation of SFAS No. 157.  The Company describes the assumptions used to develop the reserves for GMDB and the assets and liabilities for GMIB and provides the effects of hypothetical changes in those assumptions in the Critical Accounting Estimates section of the MD&A beginning on page 49.

Segment losses for the year included losses from the GMIB business of $437 million, and losses from the GMDB business of $267 million. Excluding the charge on adoption of SFAS No. 157 for the GMIB business, (see Note 2(B) to the Consolidated Financial Statements) these losses were primarily related to declines in equity markets and interest rates and increased market volatility. Excluding the results of the GMIB and GMDB businesses, segment earnings for Run-off Reinsurance were lower in 2008 than 2007, reflecting reduced favorable settlement activity related to personal accident and workers’ compensation.

Excluding the results of the GMIB business, segment earnings improved in 2007 compared with 2006. The improvement was predominantly due to an increase in earnings from several settlements and commutations that were favorable to the Company’s reserve position at the time, as well as higher earnings in the workers’ compensation and personal accident business, resulting from more favorable claim development.

Other Revenues

Other revenues included pre-tax gains from futures contracts used in the GMDB equity hedge program (see Note 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements) of $333 million in 2008, compared with pre-tax losses of $32 million in 2007 and $96 million in 2006.  Amounts reflecting corresponding changes in liabilities for GMDB contracts were included in benefits and expenses consistent with GAAP when a premium deficiency exists (see below “Other Benefits and Expenses”).  The notional amount of the futures contract positions held by the Company at December 31, 2008 related to this program was $1.4 billion.

GMIB Expense. GMIB expense in 2008 includes a pre-tax charge of $202 million for the adoption of SFAS No. 157, which is discussed in Notes 2(B) and 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.  GMIB expense in 2007 includes a pre-tax charge of $86 million related to updated assumptions for annuity election and lapse rates. With the adoption of SFAS No. 157 in 2008, the Company’s results of operations are expected to be more volatile in future periods both because the liabilities, net of receivables from reinsurers, are larger and because these assumptions will be based largely on market-observable inputs at the close of each reporting period including interest rates (LIBOR swap curve) and market-implied volatilities.

Excluding the charge on adoption of SFAS No. 157, the GMIB business generated additional pre-tax expense of $488 million in 2008 primarily as a result of:

•		decreases in interest rates since December 31, 2007: $232 million;
•		the impact of declines in underlying account values in the period, driven by declines in equity markets and bond fund returns, resulting in increased exposure: $158 million;
•		updates to the risk and profit charge estimate: $50 million;
•		updates to other assumptions that are used in the fair value calculation: $25 million; and
•		other amounts including the compounding effects of declines in interest rates and equity markets, as well as experience varying from assumptions: $23 million.

Excluding the charge to update assumptions for annuity election and lapse rates, the GMIB business generated additional pre-tax expense of $61 million in 2007, primarily the result of unfavorable annuitization and lapse experience.

The GMIB liabilities and related assets are calculated using a complex internal model and assumptions that in 2008 are from the viewpoint of a hypothetical market participant.  This resulting liability (and related asset) is higher than the Company believes will ultimately be required to settle claims primarily because market-observable interest rates are used to project growth in account values of the underlying mutual funds to estimate fair value from the viewpoint of a hypothetical market participant.  The Company’s payments for GMIB claims are expected to occur over the next 15 to 20 years and will be based on actual values of the underlying mutual funds and the 7-year Treasury rate at the dates benefits are elected.  The Company does not believe that current market-observable interest rates reflect actual growth expected for the underlying mutual funds over that timeframe, and therefore believes that the recorded liability and related asset do not represent what management believes will ultimately be required as this business runs off.

However, the significant decline in financial markets during 2008 has had an unfavorable impact on the GMIB business. Significant declines in mutual fund values that underlie the contracts (increasing the exposure to the Company) together with declines in the 7-year Treasury rate (used to determine claim payments) increased the expected amount of claims that will be paid out for contractholders who choose to annuitize while these conditions continue. It is also possible that these unfavorable market conditions will have an impact on the level of contractholder annuitizations, particularly if these unfavorable market conditions persist for an extended period.

Other Benefits and Expenses. During 2008, the Company recorded additional other benefits and expenses of $412 million ($267 million after-tax) primarily to strengthen GMDB reserves following an analysis of experience and reserve assumptions. These amounts were primarily due to:

•		adverse impacts of overall market declines of $210 million ($136 million after-tax). This includes (a) $185 million ($120 million after-tax) related to the provision for partial surrenders, including $40 million ($26 million after-tax) for an increase in the assumed election rates for future partial surrenders and (b) $25 million ($16 million after-tax) related to declines in the values of contractholders’ non-equity investments such as bond funds, neither of which is included in the GMDB equity hedge program;
•		adverse volatility-related impacts due to turbulent equity market conditions. Volatility risk is not covered by the GMDB equity

		hedge program. Also, the equity market volatility, particularly during the second half of the year, impacted the effectiveness of the hedge program. In aggregate, these volatility-related impacts totaled $182 million ($118 million after-tax). The GMDB equity hedge program is designed so that changes in the value of a portfolio of actively managed futures contracts will offset changes in the liability resulting from equity market movements. In periods of equity market declines, the liability will increase; the program is designed to produce gains on the futures contracts to offset the increase in the liability. However, the program will not perfectly offset the change in the liability, in part because the market does not offer futures contracts that exactly match the diverse mix of equity fund investments held by contractholders, and because there is a time lag between changes in underlying contractholder mutual funds, and corresponding changes in the hedge position. In 2008, the impact of this mismatch was higher than most prior periods due to the relatively large changes in market indices from day to day. In addition, the number of futures contracts used in the program is adjusted only when certain tolerances are exceeded and in periods of highly volatile equity markets when actual volatility exceeds the expected volatility assumed in the liability calculation, losses will result. These conditions have had an adverse impact on earnings, and during 2008, the increase in the liability due to equity market movements was only partially offset by the results of the futures contracts; and
•		adverse interest rate impacts. Interest rate risk is not covered by the GMDB equity hedge program, and the interest rate returns on the futures contracts were less than the Company’s long-term assumption for mean investment performance generating an additional $14 million ($9 million after-tax).

In addition to the reserve strengthening discussed above, other benefits and expenses were higher in 2008 than 2007 due to the impact of changes in the equity markets on GMDB contracts.  Equity markets decreased significantly in 2008 while they increased in 2007 leading to higher benefits expense in 2008.  Equity market declines result in decreases in underlying annuity account values, which increases the exposure under the contracts. These changes in benefits expense are partially offset by futures gains and losses, discussed in Other Revenues above.   In addition, benefits expense related to personal accident and workers’ compensation was higher in 2008 than 2007, as a result of reduced favorable settlement activity in 2008.

Other benefits and expenses were lower in 2007, compared with 2006, due to lower expense in the workers’ compensation and personal accident businesses, due to the impact of favorable claim experience and settlements and commutations that were favorable to the Company’s reserved position. This was partially offset by higher benefits expense for the guaranteed minimum death benefit business, as improvements in equity markets for 2007 were smaller than in 2006. 

See Note 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information about assumptions and reserve balances related to GMDB.

Segment Summary

The Company’s payment obligations for underlying reinsurance exposures assumed by the Company under these contracts are based on ceding companies’ claim payments.  For GMDB and GMIB, claim payments vary because of changes in equity markets and interest rates, as well as mortality and policyholder behavior. For workers’ compensation and personal accident, the claim payments relate to accidents and injuries. Any of these claim payments can extend many years into the future, and the amount of the ceding companies’ ultimate claims, and therefore the amount of  the Company’s ultimate payment obligations and corresponding ultimate collection from retrocessionaires may not be known with certainty for some time.

The Company’s reserves for underlying reinsurance exposures assumed by the Company, as well as for amounts recoverable from retrocessionaires, are considered appropriate as of December 31, 2008, based on current information.  However, it is possible that future developments, which could include but are not limited to worse than expected claim experience and higher than expected volatility, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations and could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition.  The Company bears the risk of loss if its payment obligations to cedents increase or if its retrocessionaires are unable to meet, or successfully challenge, their reinsurance obligations to the Company.

Other Operations Segment

Segment Description

Other Operations consist of:

•		non-leveraged and leveraged corporate–owned life insurance (COLI);
•		deferred gains recognized from the 1998 sale of the individual life insurance and annuity business and the 2004 sale of the retirement benefits business; and
•		run-off settlement annuity business.

The COLI portion of this business has contributed the majority of the earnings in 2008, 2007 and 2006 for Other Operations. Federal legislation enacted in 1996 affected certain policies sold by the COLI business by eliminating on a prospective basis the tax deduction for policy loan interest for most leveraged COLI products. There have been no sales of this particular product since 1997. As a result of an Internal Revenue Service initiative to settle tax disputes regarding leveraged products, some customers have surrendered their policies and management expects earnings associated with these products to continue to decline. Management does not expect this to have a significant impact on the future operating results of the segment.

From April 1, 2004 through March 31, 2006, the Company had a modified coinsurance arrangement relating to the single premium annuity business sold to the buyer of the retirement benefits business. Under that arrangement, the Company retained the invested assets supporting the reinsured liabilities. These invested assets were held in a business trust established by the Company. Effective April 1, 2006, the buyer converted this modified coinsurance arrangement to an indemnity reinsurance structure and took ownership of the trust assets.